The Gazette 1996

GAZETTE

OCTOBER 1996

New radio series on the law

L aw School w h o had f o r med themselves into a grouping called 'Save O ur S c h o o l '. He also reported that fujl planning permission for the proposed d e v e l o pme nt of the Hendrick Place property as a new L aw School had been granted by Dublin Corporation, although it was expected that an appeal would be taken by An Taisce. 8. Referendum on bail T h e Ch a i r man of the Criminal L aw C omm i t t ee referred to the proposed r e f e r e n d um designed to restrict the availability of bail. It w as agreed that the Society should e n c o u r a ge a full and balanced debate on this issue and that concern should be expressed on civil liberties grounds. 9. New motion for Council meeting on 18 October 1996 "That this Council approve the draft Regulations on Advertising, which have been circulated, subject to the suggested a m e n dm e n ts contained in c o u n s e l 's opinion." T h e E n g l i sh B ar C o u n c il is l o o k i ng f or a ' s e n i or figure' to act as a lay c omp l a i n ts c o mm i s s i o n er u n d er the B a r ' s r e f o r m ed c o m p l a i n ts s y s t em, d u e to t a ke e f f e ct n e xt April. T h e lay c o mm i s s i o n er will report to a n e w c omp l a i n ts c o mm i t t ee a nd 'will play a vital role in o v e r s e e i ng the investigation of c o m p l a i n ts a g a i n st b a r r i s t e r s '. T h e n e w f u l l - t i me post will b e w o r th £ 6 0 , 0 00 to the s u c c e s s f ul c a n d i d a t e. A c c o r d i ng to B ar C h a i r m an D a v id P e n r y - D a v ey Q C , the lay c o mm i s s i o n er m u st b e a p e r s on 'of s u f f i c i e nt stature to inspire c o n f i d e n ce in the impartiality a nd e f f e c t i v e n e ss of the s y s t em w e are p u t t i ng in p l a c e '. • T h e p r e s e n t er of B B C R a d io 4 ' s Law in Action series, M a r c el B e r l i n s, h as b e e n n a m e d B r o a d c a st J o u r n a l i st of t he Y e a r in t he E n g l i sh B a r C o u n c i l 's legal r e p o r t i ng a w a r d s. T h e w i n n er in the print j o u r n a l i sm c a t e g o ry w a s R o g er Sm i t h of t he L e g al A c t i on G r o u p. Proposed: Owen Binchy Seconded: Philip Joyce Watchdog for English Bar

R T E is b r o a d c a s t i ng a n e w r a d io s e r i es f o c u s i n g on the l aw a n d t he legal s y s t e m. T h e p r o g r a m m e, c a l l ed In Brief, g o e s o ut o n S a t u r d ay e v e n i n gs at 7 . 4 5 pm a n d is h o s t ed by b a r r i s t er A l e x Wh i t e , a f o r m e r p r o d u c er o n t he Gay Byrne Show. RTE stresses that the p r o g r a m me will n ot b e o f f e r i ng legal a d v i c e o n i n d i v i d u al p r o b l e ms b ut i n s t e ad will ' p r o v i de a f o r u m f o r d i s c u s s i on of p o l i cy o p t i o n s, t he T h e s h o w b e g a n its r un o n 2 8 S e p t e m b e r, w i th a l o ok at the state of t h e c o u rt s y s t em a n d t he r e c o m m e n d a t i o ns of t he D e n h a m R e p o r t. A m o n g the c o n t r i b u t o rs to t he p r o g r a m me w e r e K e n M u r p h y , D i r e c t or G e n e r al of t he L a w S o c i e t y, R o i s in C o n n o l l y, a s o l i c i t or w i th t h e C o o l o c k C o m m u n i t y L a w C e n t r e, a n d E a m o n n L e a h y B L of t he B a r C o u n c i l. C o m m e n t i n g on t he p r o b l e ms f a c i ng t he Irish c o u r t s, M r M u r p h y s a i d: ' O n e o f t h e m a i n p r o b l e m s - p e r h a p s t h e m a i n p r o b l e m - is t h at w e ' r e u s i n g a n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y j u s t i c e a n d d i s p u t e r e s o l u t i on s y s t e m w h i c h c a n n o t d e a l w i t h t h e b u r d e n o f l a te t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y d e m a n d s b e i n g p l a c e d o n i t '. A n d h e n o t e d t h a t t h e D e n h a m R e p o r t ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i on t h a t a C o u r t s S e r v i c e s h o u l d b e s et u p t o r u n t h e s y s t e m m o r e e f f i c i e n t l y w a s f i r st s u g g e s t e d a s l o n g a g o a s 1 9 9 3 in a j o i n t r e p o r t b y w a y t he c o u r ts w o r k , t he legal p r o f e s s i o n, legal f e e s a n d t he a p p o i n t m e nt of j u d g e s ' . T h e Irish b r a n c h of t he C h a r t e r ed I n s t i t u te of A r b i t r a t o rs is h o l d i ng an e n t ry c o u r se f o r a s s o c i a te m e m b e r s h i p o n 8 - 1 0 N o v e m b e r in D u b l i n. A p p l i c a t i on f o r m s c an b e o b t a i n ed f r o m 8 M e r r i on S q u a r e, D u b l in 2. T e l : 6 6 2 7 8 6 7 . F a x : 6 6 2 7 8 9 1.

Alex White t h e L a w S o c i e t y a n d t h e B a r C o u n c i l .

' O f c o u r s e , t h a t w a s s i m p l y t h e r e c o m m e n d a t i on f r o m t w o p r o f e s s i o n al b o d i e s : n o w it is a p p a r e n t l y g o v e r n m e n t p o l i c y ' , M r M u r p h y a d d e d . ' W e w i ll w a i t t o s e e it b e i n g i m p l e m e n t e d, b e c a u s e t o o m a n y r e p o r t s in r e l a t i o n t o t h e c o u r t s h a v e b e e n a p p r o v e d in p r i n c i p le b u t n o t i m p l e m e n t e d ' . F u t u r e p r o g r a m m es in t he s e r i es will l o ok at h o w j u d g e s a re a p p o i n t ed a nd w h e t h e r t h ey a re ' o ut of t o u c h ' , s e n t e n c i ng p o l i c i e s, w h i te c o l l ar c r i m e, the t e l e v i s i ng of c o u rt c a s e s, t he bail l a w s, a n d t he i n n er w o r k i n gs of t he legal p r o f e s s i o n. • T h e A n n u a l D i n n e r of t he C h a r t e r ed I n s t i t u te of A r b i t r a t o r s, Irish B r a n c h, will b e h e ld o n D e c e m b e r 6 at t he K i n g s I n n s. N u m b e r s a re l i m i t ed s o g et y o u r t i c k e ts e a r l y. T h e s e c a n b e o b t a i n ed f r o m 8 M e r r i o n S q u a r e, D u b l in 2. T e l : 6 6 2 7 8 6 7 . F a x: 6 6 2 7 8 9 1.

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Institute of Arbitrators

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