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Uimhir 37 de 1960.
AN tACHT ATURNAETHA (LEASÚ), 1960.
[An tiontú oifigiúil.]
CUID I
Réamhráiteach agus Ginearálta
Gearrtheideal agus comhlua.
1.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht Aturnaetha (Leasú), 1960, a ghairm den Acht seo.
(2) Féadfar na hAchtanna Aturnaetha, 1954 agus 1960, a ghairm den Phríomh-Acht agus den Acht seo le chéile.
Tosach feidhme.
2.—Tiocfaidh an tAcht seo i ngníomh mar a leanas:
(a) tiocfaidh alt 31 i ngníomh cibé lá a cheapfaidh an tAire Dlí agus Cirt, le hordú, ar an gCumann á iarraidh sin,
(b) tiocfaidh an chuid eile den Acht seo i ngníomh ar an Acht seo a rith.
Léiriú.
3.—(1) San Acht seo—
ciallaíonn “an Ciste Cúitimh” an Ciste Cúitimh a bunaíodh faoi alt 69 (a aisghairtear leis an Acht seo) den Phríomh-Acht;
tá le “an Coiste Araíonachta” an bhrí a thugtar dó le halt 6 den Acht seo;
folaíonn “doiciméid” gníomhais, uachtanna, páipéir, leabhair chuntais, taifid, deimhnithe agus comhfhreagras;
ciallaíonn “an Sean-Choiste Araíonachta” an coiste a bunaíodh le halt 13 (a aisghairtear leis an Acht seo) den Phríomh-Acht;
folaíonn “mí-iompar”—
(a) tréas nó feileonacht nó oilghníomh a dhéanamh,
(b) coir nó cion a dhéanamh lasmuigh den Stát ba feileonacht nó oilghníomh dá mba sa Stát a rinneadh é,
(c) sárú ar fhoráil den Phríomh-Acht nó den Acht seo nó d'aon ordú nó rialachán a rinneadh faoin bPríomh-Acht nó faoin Acht seo,
(d) iompar a tharraingeodh táirmheas ar ghairm na n-aturnaetha;
ciallaíonn “an Príomh-Acht” an tAcht Aturnaethe, 1954;
ciallaíonn “na Rialacháin um Chuntais Aturnaetha” na rialacháin i ndáil le cuntais a rinne an Cumann chun críocha alt 66 den Phríomh-Acht.
(2) San Acht seo, déanfar tagairtí don Phríomh-Acht a fhorléiriú, mar a gceanglaíonn nó a gceadaíonn an coimhthéacs é, mar thagairtí don Phríomh-Acht arna leasú leis an Acht seo.
(3) Forléireofar an tAcht seo agus an Phríomh-Acht mar aon ní amháin.
An bhrí atá le “aturnae” sa Phríomh-Acht agus san Acht seo.
4.—Sa Phríomh-Acht agus san Acht seo, folaíonn “aturnae”, mar a gceadaíonn nó a gceanglaíonn an comhthéacs é, iar-aturnae nó aturnae éagtha.
Aisghairm.
5.—(1) Déantar leis seo na forálacha den Phríomh-Acht atá leagtha amach i gcolún (1) de Chuid I den Chéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo a aisghairm a mhéid a shonraítear i gcolún (2) den Chuid sin I.
(2) Déantar leis seo na forálacha den Phríomh-Acht atá leagtha amach i gcolún (1) de Chuid II den Chéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo a aisghairm a mhéid a shonraítear i gcolún (2) den Chuid sin II, ach leanfaidh siad d'fheidhm a bheith acu maidir le haon chás a measfaidh an Cumann gur roimh an Acht seo a rith a tharla an caillteanas.
CUID II
Forálacha Araíonachta Maidir le hAturnaetha
An Coiste Araíonachta.
6.—(1) Déanfaidh Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte, ó am go ham de réir mar is gá, coiste araíonachta (dá ngairtear an Coiste Araíonachta san Acht seo) nach lú ná seachtar agus nach mó ná deichniúr a líon a cheapadh as líon comhaltaí na Comhairle agus na n-iarchomhaltaí sin den Chomhairle a bheidh ag cleachtadh mar aturnaetha.
(2) Féadfaidh comhalta den Choiste Araíonachta éirí as a oifig trí litir a chuirfear leis an bpost cláraithe chuig Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte agus beidh éifeacht ag a éirí as ar an dáta a sheachadfar an litir.
(3) Féadfaidh Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte comhalta den Choiste Araíonachta a chur as oifig, folúntas sa Choiste Araíonachta a líonadh agus, faoi réir na dteorainneacha a luaitear i bhfo-alt (1) den alt seo, an líon daoine a bheidh air a mhéadú nó a laghdú.
(4) Féadfaidh an Coiste Araíonachta gníomhú d'ainneoin folúntas nó folúntais ina líon.
(5) Íocfaidh an Cumann aon chostas nó caiteachas faoina rachaidh an Coiste Araíonachta.
(6) Triúr is córam don Choiste Araíonachta.
(7) Féadfaidh comhalta den Choiste Araíonachta, ba chomhalta den Chomhairle ar dháta a cheaptha, gníomhú ar an gCoiste Araíonachta d'ainneoin é a bheith tar éis scor de bheith ina chomhalta den Chomhairle.
An Coiste Araíonachta do dhéanamh fiosrúcháin faoi iompar aturnae a líomhnaítear mí-iompar ina choinne.
7.—(1) Faoi réir fhorálacha an Achta seo, is chun an Choiste Araíonachta a dhéanfar, agus éistfidh an Coiste Araíonachta, de réir rialacha a dhéanfar faoi alt 16 den Acht seo, aon iarratas ó dhuine eile nó ón gCumann á iarraidh go ndéanfaí fiosrúchán faoi iompar aturnae ar fhoras mí-iompair líomhnaithe.
(2) I gcás ina ndéanfar iarratas go cuí faoin alt seo maidir le haturnae agus gurb é tuairim an Choiste Araíonachta, tar éis an t-iarratas a bhreithniú, nach bhfuil cás prima facie le fiosrú, cuirfidh siad sin in iúl i scríbhinn don iarratasóir agus ní dhéanfaidh siad aon ghníomh eile maidir leis an iarratas.
(3) I gcás ina ndéanfar iarratas go cuí faoin alt seo maidir le haturnae agus gurb é tuairim an Choiste Araíonachta, tar éis an t-iarratas a bhreithniú, go bhfuil cás prima facie le fiosrú, beidh éifeacht ag na forálacha seo a leanas—
(a) rachaidh siad i mbun fiosrúchán a dhéanamh;
(b) nuair a bheidh an fiosrúchán críochnaithe, cuirfidh an Coiste Araíonachta a gcinntí i dtuarascáil chun na hArd-Chúirte agus sonróidh siad inti an t-iarratas agus an fhianaise a cuireadh os a gcomhair agus aon ábhair eile maidir leis an aturnae is oiriúnach leo a thuairisciú, maraon lena dtuairim i dtaobh oiriúnacht nó eile an aturnae le bheith ina chomhalta de lucht ghairm na n-aturnaetha ag féachaint dá mbeidh sa tuarascáil;
(c) má chinneann an Coiste Araíonachta go raibh mí-iompar ann ó thaobh an aturnae maidir le haon ábhar a gearánadh san iarratas nó nár fhreagair an t-aturnae go sasúil na líomhaintí ina choinne, tabharfaidh an Cumann an tuarascáil os comhair na hArd-Chúirte.
(4) I gcás ina ndéanfar iarratas faoin alt seo, féadfaidh an Coiste Araíonachta, ag aon chéim de na himeachtaí maidir leis an iarratas agus sula dtabharfar tuarascáil don Ard-Chúirt, déanamh aon bhearta nó aon bhearta breise san ábhar a chur siar go ceann tréimhse sonraithe agus, má dhéanann siad sin, ansin, más rud é, sula mbeidh an tréimhse sin caite, go n-iarrfaidh an t-iarratasóir cead ar an gCoiste Araíonachta an t-iarratas a tharraingt siar, féadfaidh an Coiste Araíonachta, más oiriúnach leo, a cheadú an t-iarratas a tharraingt siar agus, má dhéanann siad sin, ní dhéanfaidh siad aon ghníomh eile maidir leis an iarratas.
(5) (a) Beidh an Cumann i dteideal iarratas a dhéanamh chun an Choiste Araíonachta de réir fhorálacha an ailt seo, d'ainneoin aon duine eile a bheith i dteideal iarratas den sórt sin a dhéanamh, agus
(b) Féadfaidh an Cumann a údarú d'aon duine thar a gceann gach ní agus gníomh a dhéanamh is gá chun críocha an iarratais sin.
Imeachtaí os comhair na hArd-Chúirte maidir le tuarascáil a thabharfar os comhair na Cúirte faoi alt 7.
8.—(1) I gcás ina dtabharfaidh an Coiste Araíonachta, tar éis fiosrúchán a dhéanamh faoi iompar aturnae, tuarascáil don Ard-Chúirt faoi alt 7 den Acht seo agus go dtabharfaidh an Cumann an tuarascáil sin os comhair na hArd-Chúirte faoin alt sin 7, beidh éifeacht ag na forálacha seo a leanas—
(a) féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt, tar éis an tuarascáil a bhreithniú—
(i) le hordú
(I) ainm an aturnae a scriosadh den rolla,
(II) an t-aturnae a fhionraí ó chleachtadh go ceann cibé tréimhse a shocróidh an Ard-Chúirt, nó
(III) an t-aturnae a cháinseamh nó é a cháinseamh agus a cheangal air pionós airgid a íoc,
(ii) ordú a dhéanamh maidir leis na costais faoina ndeachthas sna himeachtaí os a comhair agus os comhair an Choiste Araíonachta mar is oiriúnach léi,
(iii) aon ordú foghabhálach maidir leis an gcás a dhéanamh is oiriúnach leis an Ard-Chúirt,
(b) féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt, más oiriúnach léi, ar fhorais speisialta, an cás a tharchur chun an Choiste Araíonachta chun fianaise bhreise a ghlacadh lena cur faoina bráid agus tuarascáil fhorlíontach a thabhairt di, agus féadfaidh an Chúirt éisteacht an cháis a chur ar atráth go dtí go gcuirfear an fhianaise bhreise sin faoina bráid agus go dtabharfar an tuarascáil fhorlíontach sin,
(c) i dteannta aon ní dá sonraítear sna míreanna sin roimhe seo den fho-alt seo a dhéanamh, féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt freisin, le hordú, aon ní nó nithe acu seo a leanas a dhéanamh—
(i) a ordú don aturnae cibé aiseag is oiriúnach leis an Ard-Chúirt a thabhairt d'aon pháirtí éagóraithe,
(ii) ar iarratas ón gCumann, a ordú go seachadfar d'aon duine a cheapfaidh an Cumann gach doiciméad nó aon doiciméid a bheidh i seilbh nó ar urláimh an aturnae nó a ghnólachta nó a bhainfidh le haon iontaobhas arb é nó arbh é an t-aturnae an t-iontaobhaí aonair ina leith nó arb iad nó arbh iad na hiontaobhaithe ina leith an t-aturnae maraon le páirtí, cléireach nó seirbhíseach dá chuid nó maraon le níos mó ná duine amháin den sórt sin,
(iii) a ordú—
(I) nach ndéanfaidh aon chuideachta baincéireachta, gan cead ón Ard-Chúirt, aon íocaíocht as cuntas bainc in ainm an aturnae nó a ghnólachta, nó
(II) nach ndéanfaidh cuideachta baincéireachta shonraithe, gan cead ón Ard-Chúirt, aon íocaíocht as cuntas bainc in ainm an aturnae nó a ghnólachta.
(2) (a) I gcás ina ndéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt ordú maidir le doiciméid faoi fhomhír (ii) de mhír (c) d'fho-alt (1) den alt seo, féadfaidh an Cumann fiosruithe a dhéanamh chun a fháil amach cén duine ar leis nó cé na daoine ar leo na doiciméid agus féadfaidh sé déileáil leis na doiciméid mar a ordóidh an duine sin nó na daoine sin.
(b) Chun críocha mhír (a) den fho-alt seo, beidh éifeacht ag na forálacha atá leagtha amach sa Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo.
(3) I gcás ina gceanglóidh an Ard-Chúirt, le hordú faoi fho-alt (1) den alt seo, ar aturnae pionós airgid a íoc, oibreoidh an t-ordú mar bhreithiúnas i gcoinne an aturnae i bhfabhar an Chumainn, agus déanfar an pionós airgid, nuair a ghnóthófar é, a íoc isteach sa Chiste Cúitimh.
(4) Má ghníomhaíonn aon duine mar ghníomhaire nó ainmní d'aturnae nó dá ghnólacht ar chuma a dhéanfaidh neamhbhríoch ordú a rinne an Ard-Chúirt faoi fhomhír (iii) de mhír (c) d'fho-alt (1) den alt seo, beidh an duine sin ciontach i gcion faoin bhfo-alt seo agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná céad punt a chur air.
Ainm aturnae a bhaint den rolla ar é féin á iarraidh sin.
9.—(1) Is chun an Choiste Araíonachta a dhéanfaidh aturnae iarratas chun a ainm a bhaint den rolla, agu éistfidh an Choiste Arnaíonachta é, de réir rialacha a dhéanfar faoi alt 16 den Acht seo.
(2) I gcás ina ndéanfaidh aturnae iarratas faoin alt seo, breithneoidh an Coiste Araíonachta an t-iarratas, agus air sin beidh éifeacht ag na forálacha seo a leanas—
(a) más é a dtuairim gur ceart géilleadh don iarratas gan tuarascáil a thabhairt don Ard-Chúirt, ordóidh siad dá réir sin,
(b) murab é sin a dtuairim—
(i) tabharfaidh siad tuarascáil i dtaobh an iarratais don Ard-Chúirt,
(ii) tabharfaidh an Cumann an tuarascáil os comhair na hArd-Chúirte,
(iii) féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt, tar éis an t-iarratas agus an tuarascáil a bhreithniú, ordú a dhéanamh ag diúltú don iarratas nó ag géilleadh dó agus maidir le híoc costas.
Ainm aturnae a chur ar ais ar an rolla.
10.—(1) Beidh cumhacht ag an Ard-Chúirt a ordú go gcuirfear ar ais ar an rolla ainm aturnae ar scriosadh a ainm den rolla le hordú ón Ard-Chúirt faoi alt 8 den Acht seo nó faoin alt sin 8 arna chur i bhfeidhm le halt 11 den Acht seo nó ar baineadh a ainm den rolla faoi alt 9 den Acht seo.
(2) Féadfaidh aon duine a bheidh á iarraidh go gcuirfí a ainm ar ais ar an rolla faoin alt seo iarratas a dhéanamh chun na hArd-Chúirte agus tabharfaidh sé fógra don Chumann go bhfuil beartaithe aige an t-iarratas sin a dhéanamh, agus beidh an Cumann i dteideal láithriú agus éisteacht a fháil ar aon iarratas den sórt sin.
(3) Ar iarratas faoin alt seo a éisteacht féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt diúltú don iarratas nó féadfaidh sí a ordú ainm an iarratasóra a chur ar ais ar an rolla agus féadfaidh sí a ordú don iarratasóir costais agus caiteachais an Chumainn maidir leis an iarratas a íoc.
Dlínse na hArd-Chúirte maidir le haturnae ar airbheartaíodh maidir leis go ndearnadh ordú faoi alt 18 den Phríomh-Acht ag scriosadh a ainm den rolla.
11.—I gcás ina ndearna an Sean-Choiste Araíonachta, i bhfeidhmiú airbheartaithe cumhachtaí a airbheartaíodh a tugadh dóibh le halt 18 (a aisghairtear leis an Acht seo) den Phríomh-Acht, ordú á fhoráil go scriosfaí ainm aturnae den rolla, féadfaidh an Cumann, ar fhógra a thabhairt don aturnae, iarratas trí fhógra foriarratais (nach giorra ná deich lá) a dhéanamh chun na hArd-Chúirte ag iarraidh ordú ag scriosadh ainm an aturnae den rolla, agus, má iarrann an Cumann amhlaidh, ansin beidh éifeacht ag na forálacha seo a leanas—
(a) beidh gach a mbeidh ar fáil de na mionnscríbhinní agus den fhianaise doiciméid eile a bhí os comhair an tSean-Choiste Araíonachta agus gach a mbeidh ar fáil de scríbhinní na fianaise a tugadh os a gcomhair inghlactha mar fhianaise ar an Ard-Chúirt a bheith ag breithniú an iarratais,
(b) tar éis don Ard-Chúirt na mionnscríbhinní sin, an fhianaise doiciméid eile sin agus na scríbhinní eile sin a léamh, agus tar éis di aon fhianaise bhreise a ghlacadh a thairgfidh an Cumann nó an t-aturnae agus tar éis di breithniú a dhéanamh ar aon ábhair eile maidir leis an aturnae a dtarraingeoidh an Cumann a haird orthu, déileáilfaidh sí leis an iarratas ionann is dá mba thuarascáil é maidir leis an aturnae chun na hArd-Chúirte ón gCoiste Araíonachta agus a thug an Cumann os comhair na hArd-Chúirte faoi alt 7 den Acht seo, agus beidh feidhm dá réir sin ag alt 8 den Acht seo.
Orduithe na hArd-Chúirte a bheith críochnaitheach.
12.—(1) Faoi réir fho-alt (2) den alt seo, is ordú críochnaitheach nach inachomhairc ordú ón Ard-Chúirt faoi alt 8 den Acht seo, faoin alt sin arna chur i bhfeidhm le halt 11 den Acht seo nó faoi alt 9 nó alt 10 den Acht seo.
(2) Le cead na hArd-Chúirte, féadfaidh an Cumann, nó an t-aturnae lena mbainfidh, achomharc a dhéanamh chun na Cúirte Uachtaraí ar cheist shonraithe dlí i gcoinne ordú ón Ard-Chúirt faoi alt 8 den Acht seo, faoin alt sin arna chur i bhfeidhm le halt 11 den Acht seo nó faoi alt 9 nó alt 10 den Acht seo.
Dlínse na hArd-Chúirte faoi ailt 8, 9, 10 agus 11 a fheidhmiú.
13.—Is é Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte a fheidhmeoidh an dlínse a dhílsítear san Ard-Chúirt le halt 8, 9, 10 nó 11 den Acht seo nó, má threoraíonn agus gach cás ina dtreoróidh Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte amhlaidh, gnáthbhreitheamh den Ard-Chúirt a bheidh sannaithe chuige sin de thuras na huaire ag Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte.
Pribhléid maidir le himeachtaí áirithe faoin bPríomh-Acht agus faoin Acht seo.
14.—Beidh—
(a) déanamh aon ghnímh, roimh an Acht seo a rith, ag an Sean-Choiste Araíonachta nó ag an gclaraitheoir, i bhfeidhmiú airbheartaithe na gcumhachtaí a airbheartaíodh a tugadh dóibh nó dó le halt 18 nó 21 den Phríomh-Acht, is gníomh ar airbheartaíodh é a bheith údaraithe é a dhéanamh leis an alt sin,
(b) tabhairt tuarascála faoi alt 7 nó 9 den Acht seo nó tuarascála fhorlíontaí faoi mhír (b) d'fho-alt (1) d'alt 8 den Acht seo don Ard-Chúirt ag an gCoiste Araíonachta,
(c) tabhairt tuarascála os comhair na hArd-Chúirte ag an gCumann faoi alt 7 nó 9 den Acht seo,
(d) foilsiú aon fhógra de réir halt 17 den Acht seo ar údaraigh an t-alt sin 17 é a fhoilsiú,
(e) déanamh iarratais, roimh an Acht seo a rith, chun an tSean-Choiste Araíonachta faoi alt 14 den Phríomh-Acht nó tabhairt aon eolais i ndáil leis an iarratas sin, agus
(f) déanamh iarratais faoi alt 7 den Acht seo nó tabhairt aon eolais i ndáil leis an iarratas sin,
faoi phribhléid iomlán agus measfar, maidir le déanamh aon ghnímh dá sonraítear i mír (a) nó (e) den alt seo, é a bheith faoi phribhléid iomlán i gcónaí.
Cumhachtaí an Choiste Araíonachta maidir le fianaise a ghlacadh, etc.
15.—(1) Beidh ag an gCoiste Araíonachta, chun críocha aon fhiosrúcháin a dhéanfaidh siad faoi alt 7 den Acht seo nó breithniú a dhéanamh ar iarratas faoi alt 9 den Acht seo nó fianaise bhreise a ghlacadh faoi mhír (b) d'fho-alt (1) d'alt 8 den Acht seo, na cumhachtaí, na cearta agus na pribhléidí atá dílsithe san Ard-Chúirt nó i mbreitheamh den Ard-Chúirt le linn caingean a éisteacht, maidir le—
(a) iallach a chur ar fhinnéithe freastal a dhéanamh agus lena gceistiú faoi mhionn nó ar shlí eile, agus
(b) iallach a chur doiciméid a thabhairt ar aird,
agus féadfar toghairm faoi shíniú chomhalta den Choiste Araíonachta a chur in ionad, agus is ionann a feidhm agus feidhm, aon phróise foirmiúla is ineisithe i gcaingean chun iallach a chur ar fhinnéithe freastal a dhéanamh agus chun iallach a chur doiciméid a thabhairt ar aird.
(2) Más rud é—
(a) go mainneoidh duine ar bith freastal tar éis é a thoghairm go cuí chun freastal os comhair an Choiste Araíonachta, nó
(b) go ndiúltóidh duine ar bith, agus é i láthair mar fhinné os comhair an Choiste Araíonachta, mionn a thabhairt a cheanglóidh an Coiste Araíonachta air go dleathach a thabhairt, nó aon doiciméad faoina chumhacht nó ar a urláimh a thabhairt ar aird a cheanglóidh an Coiste Araíonachta air go dleathach a thabhairt ar aird nó don cheist a fhreagairt a cheanglóidh an Coiste Araíonachta air go dleathach a fhreagairt, nó
(c) go ndéanfaidh duine ar bith, agus é i láthair os comhair an Choiste Araíonachta, aon ní ba dhíspeagadh cúirte dá mba chúirt dlí an Coiste Araíonachta agus cumhacht chimithe aici i leith díspeagadh,
féadfar, le deimhniú faoi shíniú beirt chomhalta den Choiste Araíonachta, cion an duine sin a dheimhniú don Ard-Chúirt agus air sin féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt fiosrúchán a dhéanamh i dtaobh an chiona líomhnaithe agus, tar éis aon fhinnéithe a thabharfar ar aird i gcoinne nó ar son an duine a bheidh cúisithe sa chion agus aon ráitis a thairgfear mar chosaint a éisteacht, an duine sin a phionósú nó bearta a dhéanamh chun é a phionosú amhail is dá mba i ndíspeagadh na hArd-Chúirte a bhí sé ciontach.
(3) Beidh teideal ag finné os comhair an Choiste Araíonachta chun na ndíolúintí agus na bpribhléidí céanna chun a mbeadh teideal aige dá mba fhinné os comhair na hArd-Chúirte é.
Rialacha i dtaobh nós imeachta maidir le hiarratais chun an Choiste Araíonachta.
16.—(1) Féadfaidh an Coiste Araíonachta, le comhthoiliú Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte, rialacha (nach mbeidh ar neamhréir leis an Acht seo) a dhéanamh a rialóidh—
(a) déanamh iarratas chun an Choiste Araíonachta faoin Acht seo,
(b) imeachtaí an Choiste Araíonachta faoin Acht seo,
agus i gcoitinne, maidir le nós imeachta i ndáil leis na hábhair sin.
(2) Féadfaidh rialacha faoin alt seo foráil a dhéanamh go sonrach maidir le fadú na tréimhse chun aon mhionnscríbhinn nó doiciméad a thabhairt nó chun iarratas nó mionnscríbhinn a ghlacadh d'ainneoin aon neamhrialtachta ina fhoirm, i gcás inar dóigh leis an gCoiste Araíonachta gur ceart sin a dhéanamh.
Comhadú orduithe a dhéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt nó an Coiste Araíonachta agus fógra i dtaobh orduithe áirithe a dhéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt.
17.—(1) Déanfaidh an Coiste Araíonachta—
(a) cóip de gach ordú a dhéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt faoin Acht seo, agus
(b) aon ordú a dhéanfaidh an Coiste Araíonachta faoi alt 9 den Acht seo,
a chomhadú leis an gcláraitheoir.
(2) I gcás ina ndéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt ordú, faoi alt 8 den Acht seo nó faoin alt sin 8 arna chur i bhfeidhm le halt 11 den Acht seo, ag scriosadh ainm aturnae den rolla nó ag fionraí aturnae ó chleachtadh, cuirfidh an cláraitheoir faoi deara láithreach fógra ag insint éifeacht chuid oibritheach an ordaithe a fhoilsiú san Iris Oifigiúil agus cuirfidh faoi deara freisin an fógra a fhoilsiú i cibé slí eile a ordóidh an Coiste Araíonachta.
(3) Coimeádfaidh an cláraitheoir comhaid ar leithligh ina dtaifeadfar mar a leanas na horduithe go léir a dhéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt nó an Coiste Araíonachta faoin Acht seo—
(a) ar chomhad ar a dtabharfar Comhad A, taifeadfar gach ordú ag scriosadh ainm aturnae den rolla nó ag fionraí aturnae ó chleachtadh a dhéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt faoi alt 8 den Acht seo nó faoin alt sin 8 arna chur i bhfeidhm le halt 11 den Acht seo,
(b) ar chomhad ar a dtabharfar Comhad B, taifeadfar aon ordú eile a dhéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt faoin Acht seo agus aon ordú a dhéanfaidh an Coiste Araíonachta faoi alt 9 den Acht seo.
(4) Tabharfaidh an cláraitheoir cóip de thaifead ar Chomhad A nó ar Chomhad B do dhuine a iarrfaidh i scríbhinn cóip den sórt sin.
(5) D'ainneoin fo-alt (4) den alt seo—
(a) i gcás ina n-iarrfar cóip de thaifead ar Chomhad A nó ar Chomhad B agus gur taifead faoi dháta is luaithe ná dhá bhliain roimh dháta an iarratais é, nó
(b) i gcás ina n-iarrfar cóip de thaifead ar Chomhad A nó ar Chomhad B agus gur taifead é ar ordaigh an Coiste Araíonachta nóta a chur isteach ina leith go mb'fhéidir éagóir a theacht as cóip de a thabhairt,
ní thabharfar cóip den taifead (ach amháin i gcás an chóip a thabhairt faoi ordú cúirte) gan cead i scríbhinn ón gCumann.
Feidhm na nAchtanna um Fhianaise Leabhar Baincéirí, 1879 agus 1959.
18.—Is imeacht dlí de réir bhrí na habairte “legal proceeding” mar a úsáidtear í sna hAchtanna um Fhianaise Leabhar Baincéirí, 1879 agus 1959, iarratas chun an Choiste Araíonachta nó fiosrúchán nó imeacht eile os a gcomhair.
CUID III
Urlámh ar Mhaoin Aturnae agus Cúiteamh do Chliaint i gCásanna Áirithe
Cumhacht an Chumainn chun déileáil le doiciméid de chuid aturnaetha áirithe.
19.—(1) I gcás inarb é tuairim an Chumainn go bhfuil aturnae nó cléireach nó seirbhíseach aturnae ciontach i mí-ionracas i ndáil le cleachtadh an aturnae sin mar aturnae nó i ndáil le haon iontaobhas arb iontaobhaí ina leith an t-aturnae sin, féadfaidh siad, trí fhógra, a cheangal go dtabharfar ar aird nó go seachadfar d'aon duine a cheapfaidh an Cumann gach doiciméad nó aon doiciméad, agus féadfaidh siad seilbh a ghlacadh ar gach doiciméad nó aon doiciméad, a bheidh i seilbh nó ar urláimh an aturnae sin nó a ghnólachta nó a bhainfidh le haon iontaobhas arb é an t-aturnae sin an t-iontaobhaí aonair ina leith nó arb iad na hiontaobhaithe ina leith an t-aturnae sin maraon le páirtí, cléireach nó seirbhíseach dá chuid nó maraon le nó níos mó ná duine amháin den sórt sin,
(2) Aon duine a mbeidh ina sheilbh nó ar a urláimh doiciméid a gceanglófar air faoin alt seo iad a thabhairt ar aird nó a sheachadadh agus a dhiúltóidh nó a mhainneoidh iad a thabhairt ar aird nó a sheachadadh de réir an cheanglais—
(a) beidh sé ciontach i gcion faoin alt seo agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná caoga punt a chur air, agus
(b) féadfaidh an Cumann iarratas a dhéanamh chun na hArd-Chúirte agus féadfaidh an Chúirt sin, le hordú, a cheangal ar an duine sin na doiciméid a thabhairt ar aird nó a sheachadadh.
(3) I gcás ina nglacfaidh an Cumann seilbh ar dhoiciméid a thabharfar ar aird nó a sheachadfar faoi cheanglas faoin alt seo—
(a) seirbheálfaidh siad, ar an aturnae agus ar gach duine eile óna bhfuarthas na doiciméid, fógra ina mbeidh sonraí na ndoiciméad agus an dáta a glacadh seilbh orthu, agus
(b) má bhíonn aon chuid de na doiciméid grúpáilte le chéile mar dhoiciméid a bhaineann le hábhar áirithe, féadfar sonraí na ndoiciméad sin a thabhairt san fhógra tríd an ngrúpa agus an t-ábhar lena mbainfidh sé a lua.
(4) Féadfaidh aturnae nó duine eile, laistigh de cheithre lá dhéag tar éis fógra faoi fho-alt (3) den alt seo a sheirbheáil air, ordú a iarraidh ar an Ard-Chúirt á ordú don Chumann na doiciméid a fuair an Cumann a thabhairt ar ais don duine nó do na daoine óna bhfuarthas iad nó do cibé duine nó daoine eile a luafaidh an t-iarratasóir agus féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt an t-ordú sin a dhéanamh nó cibé ordú is oiriúnach leis an Ard-Chúirt.
(5) (a) Mura ndéantar iarratas de réir fho-alt (4) den alt seo nó má ordaíonn an Ard-Chúirt, ar an iarratas sin a fháil, go bhfanfaidh na doiciméid i gcoimeád nó ar urláimh an Chumainn, féadfaidh an Cumann fiosruithe a dhéanamh féachaint cén duine ar leis nó cé na daoine ar leo na doiciméid agus féadfaidh siad déileáil leis na doiciméid mar a ordóidh an duine nó na daoine sin.
(b) Chun críocha mhír (a) den fho-alt seo, beidh éifeacht ag na forálacha atá leagtha amach sa Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo.
Rialú cuntas bainc aturnaetha.
20.—(1) I gcás inarb é tuairim an Chumainn go bhfuil aturnae, nó cléireach nó seirbhíseach aturnae ciontach i mí-ionracas i ndáil le cleachtadh an aturnae sin mar aturnae nó i ndáil le haon iontaobhas arb iontaobhaí ina leith an t-aturnae sin, féadfaidh siad iarratas a dhéanamh chun na hArd-Chúirte, agus féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt ordú a dhéanamh á ordú—
(a) nach ndéanfaidh aon chuideachta baincéireachta, gan cead ón Ard-Chúirt, aon íocaíocht as cuntas bainc in ainm an aturnae nó a ghnólachta, nó
(b) nach ndéanfaidh cuideachta baincéireachta shonraithe, gan cead ón Ard-Chúirt, aon íocaíocht as cuntas bainc a bheidh á choimeád ag an gcuideachta sin in ainm an aturnae nó a ghnólachta.
(2) Beidh cumhacht ag an Ard-Chúirt iarratas ar ordú faoi fho-alt (1) den alt seo a éisteacht in camera.
(3) I gcás ina ndéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt ordú faoi fho-alt (1) den alt seo maidir le haturnae, féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt a ordú san am céanna go mbeidh a dheimhniú cleachta ar fionraí go dtí n-éagfaidh an deimhniú.
(4) Má ghníomhaíonn aon duine mar ghníomhaire nó ainmní d'aturnae nó dá ghnólacht ar chuma a dhéanfadh neamhbhríoch ordú a rinne an Ard-Chúirt faoi fho-alt (1) den alt seo, beidh an duine sin ciontach i gcion faoin alt seo agus ar a chiontú ann go hachomair dlífear fíneáil nach mó ná céad punt a chur air.
Cúiteamh i gcaillteanas mar gheall ar mhí-ionracas aturnae nó cléirigh nó seirbhísigh aturnae.
21.—(1) San alt seo—
ciallaíonn “an Ciste” an Ciste Cúitimh;
ciallaíonn “deontas” deontas faoi fho-alt (4) den alt seo.
(2) Leanfaidh an Cumann den Chiste a chothabháil.
(3) Cothabhálfar agus riarfar an Ciste de réir fhorálacha an Tríú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo.
(4) I gcás ina gcruthófar chun sástachta an Chumainn gur bhain caillteanas do dhuine ar bith de dhroim mí-ionracas ó thaobh aturnae nó aon chléirigh nó seirbhísigh aturnae i ndáil le cleachtadh an aturnae sin mar aturnae nó i ndáil le haon iontaobhas arb iontaobhaí ina leith an t-aturnae sin, ansin, faoi réir fhorálacha an ailt seo, tabharfaidh an Cumann deontas as an gCiste don duine sin, agus is é méid a bheidh sa deontas méid is comhionann, i dtuairim an Chumainn, le lánslánaíocht sa chaillteanas sin.
(5) Beidh de rogha ag an gCumann deontas a thabhairt nó diúltú deontas a thabhairt—
(a) i gcás nach raibh deimhniú cleachta ag an aturnae a bhí i bhfeidhm an tráth a tharla, i dtuairim an Chumainn, an caillteanas,
(b) i gcás inarb é tuairim an Chumainn go ndearna an t-éilitheoir faillí, nó go ndearna duine éigin a raibh sé freagrach ina leith faillí, a bhí ar cheann de na cúiseanna leis an gcaillteanas a bheidh i gceist, agus
(c) i gcás inarb é tuairim an Chumainn gur chabhraigh an t-éilitheoir go gníomhach, trína iompar féin, le mí-iompar an aturnae
agus, má chinneann an Cumann deontas a thabhairt in aon chás den sórt sin, beidh de rogha acu gan ach deontas teoranta a thabhairt.
(6) Féadfar deontas a thabhairt d'ainneoin gur tharla, tar éis an ghnímh mhí-ionracais, go bhfuair an t-aturnae bás, gur baineadh nó gur scriosadh a ainm den rolla, gur scoir sé de bheith ag cleachtadh, gur fionraíodh ó chleachtadh é nó gur fionraíodh a dheimhniú cleachta.
(7) Ní thabharfar aon deontas i leith caillteanas a slánaíodh ar shlí eile.
(8) (a) Ar aon deontas a thabhairt d'aon duine (dá ngairtear an deontaí san fho-alt seo) i leith aon chaillteanais—
(i) beidh seachaíocht ag an gCumann, go dtí méid an deontais—
(I) maidir le haon chearta nó leigheasanna a raibh teideal chucu ag an deontaí, mar gheall ar an gcaillteanas, i gcoinne an aturnae nó aon duine eile nó i gcoinne eastát an aturnae sin nó an duine eile sin,
(II) maidir le haon chearta nó leigheasanna a raibh teideal chucu ag an aturnae, nó ag a chléireach nó ag a sheirbhíseach, mar gheall ar an gcaillteanas, i gcoinne aon duine eile nó i gcoinne eastát an duine eile sin,
(III) maidir le gach ceart agus leigheas eile (más ann) de chuid an deontaí nó an aturnae, an chléirigh nó an tseirbhísigh sin, i leith an chaillteanais,
(ii) ní bheidh ag an deontaí, ná ag a ionadaí, ceart ar bith, faoi imeachtaí féimheachta ná imeachtaí dlíthiúla eile ná ar aon slí eile, chun aon suim a fháil as sócmhainní an aturnae, an chléirigh nó an tseirbhísigh i leith an chaillteanais go dtí go mbeidh méid iomlán an deontais aisíoctha leis an gCumann.
(b) Na tagairtí atá i mír (a) den fho-alt seo don deontaí nó don aturnae, don chléireach nó don seirbhíseach, folaíonn siad, i gcás é d'fháil bháis, d'éirí dócmhainneach nó a theacht faoi dhícháilíocht eile, tagairtí dá ionadaí pearsanta nó d'aon duine eile ag a mbeidh údarás a eastát a riaradh.
(9) Ní thabharfar deontas ar bith mura bhfaighidh an Cumann fógra i dtaobh an chaillteanais—
(a) sa tslí ordaithe, agus
(b) laistigh den tréimhse ordaithe tar éis don chailliúnaí fios a fháil ar an gcaillteanas.
(10) Féadfaidh an Cumann, chun críocha fiosrú i dtaobh aon ábhair a dhéanfadh difir maidir le deontas a thabhairt nó a dhiúltú, fianaise a ghlacadh faoi mhionn, agus údaraítear leis seo daoine a chur faoin mionn sin.
(11) (a) Féadfar, mar is rogha leis an gCumann, deontas a íoc in aon suim amháin nó i cibé tráthchodanna a chinnfidh an Cumann.
(b) Féadfaidh an Cumann, más é a dtuairim gur gá sin ar mhaithe le cobhsaíocht airgeadais an Chiste, íoc aon deontais is iníoctha in aon suim amháin, nó íoc aon tráthchoda de dheontas, a chur siar.
Ranníocaí isteach sa Chiste Cúitimh ó aturnaetha.
22.—(1) San alt seo ciallaíonn “an Ciste” an Ciste Cúitimh.
(2) Sula n-eiseofar deimhniú cleachta chun aturnae in aghaidh na bliana cleachta dar críoch an 5ú lá d'Eanáir, 1962, nó aon bhliana cleachta dá éis sin, íocfaidh sé leis an gCumann cibé ranníoc bliantúil chun an Chiste is iomchuí de réir na bhfo-alt ina dhiaidh seo den alt seo agus féadfaidh an cláraitheoir eisiúint an deimhnithe a choimeád siar nó go ndéanfar an íocaíocht.
(3) Faoi réir fho-alt (4) den alt seo, is é an ranníoc bliantúil chun an Chiste is iníoctha ag aturnae faoi fho-alt (2) den alt seo—
(a) i gcás an deimhniú cleachta ar ina leith a íocfar é a eisiúint chuige laistigh de thrí bliana dar tosach lá a ghlactha—cúig phunt, agus
(b) in aon chás eile—fiche punt.
(4) (a) Aon tráth aon bhliain chleachta—
(i) arb í an chéad bhliain chleachta í díreach i ndiaidh na bliana ar ag a deireadh a tharlóidh, den chéad uair, gur mó ná £25,000 an méid iomlán a bheidh chun creidiúna an Chiste (lena n-áirítear luach na n-infheistíochtaí go léir is cuid den Chiste ach tar éis gach dliteanas neamhoctha a asbhaint), nó
(ii) arb aon bhliain chleachta dá éis sin í,
féadfaidh an Cumann, más oiriúnach leo, a chinneadh go ndéanfaidh gach aturnae a thógfaidh amach deimhniú cleachta in aghaidh na bliana cleachta díreach dá éis sin (nach deimhniú a eiseofar chuige laistigh den tréimhse trí bliana dar tosach lá a ghlactha) cibé méid os cionn nó faoi bhun fiche punt a shocróidh an Cumann a íoc leis an gCumann mar ranníoc bliantúil is iníoctha faoi fho-alt (2) den alt seo i gcás na bliana sin.
(b) Ag feidhmiú na gcumhachtaí dóibh a thugtar leis an mír sin roimhe seo, beidh aird ag an gCumann ar an bprionsabal a dhlíonn go gcoimeádfar £25,000 san iomlán chun creidiúna an Chiste (lena n-áirítear luach na n-infheistíochtaí go léir is cuid den Chiste ach tar éis gach dliteanas neamhíoctha a asbhaint).
Comhshocraíochtaí le Dlí-Chumann Corpraithe Thuaisceart Éireann.
23.—(1) San alt seo—
ciallaíonn “an cumann comhréire” Dlí-Chumann Corpraithe Thuaisceart Éireann,
ciallaíonn “deimhniú comhréire” deimhniú a d'eisigh an cumann comhréire agus atá ar comhréir le deimhniú cleachta,
ciallaíonn “cleachtóirí comhréire” daoine ag a bhfuil deimhnithe comhréire.
(2) I gcás ina gceanglaíonn scéim a oibríonn an cumann comhréire ar chleachtóirí comhréire atá faoi rialú an chumainn sin ranníoc a dhéanamh le haon chiste nó polasaí árachais, nó aon pholasaí árachais a thógáil amach, chun cúiteamh nó slánaíocht a thabhairt do chliaint i leith nó i gcoinne caillteanais de dheasca na cleachtóirí sin, a gcléirigh nó a seirbhísigh, do dhéanamh cúblála, féadfaidh an Cumann comhshocraíochtaí agus comhaontuithe a dhéanamh leis an gcumann comhréire maidir le daoine a bhfuil teideal acu deimhnithe cleachta maraon le deimhnithe comhréire a thógáil amach, agus féadfar le haon chomhshocraíocht nó comhaontú den sórt sin foráil a dhéanamh—
(a) chun go n-íocfaidh gach duine acu sin an t-aon chomhranníoc bliantúil amháin agus i dtaobh an mhodha ar a n-úsáidfear an comhranníoc chun críocha an Chiste Cúitimh agus chun críocha aon chiste nó polasaí árachais a bheidh á chothabháil chun críocha na scéime sin,
(b) i dtaobh an mhodha ar a ndéileálfar le héilimh i leith cúblála ag aon duine acu sin, nó ag a chléireach nó a sheirbhíseach, agus an méid, más aon mhéid é, de na héilimh sin a íocfaidh an Cumann agus an cumann comhréire faoi seach,
(c) i dtaobh aon nithe iarmartacha nó teagmhasacha.
Rialacháin chun críocha Chuid III.
24.—Féadfaidh rialacháin a dhéanfar le comhthoiliú Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte—
(a) foráil a dhéanamh i dtaobh an nós imeachta (seachas nós imeachta cúirte) is inleanta chun éifeacht a thabhairt d'fhorálacha na Coda seo den Acht seo agus an Dara Sceideal agus an Tríú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo,
(b) forálacha a dhéanamh a bheidh fo-ghabhálach le forálacha na Coda seo den Acht seo agus an Dara Sceideal agus an Tríú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo nó forlíontach orthu,
(c) forálacha a dhéanamh a thabharfaidh éifeacht d'aon chomhshocraíocht nó comhaontú a dhéanfar de bhun alt 23 den Acht seo nó a bheidh fo-ghabhálach leis sin nó forlíontach air.
CUID IV
Ilghnéitheach
Feidhmeanna áirithe de chuid an Phríomh-Bhreithimh faoin bPríomh-Acht a aistriú chun Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte, agus rialacha cúirte maidir le feidhmiú na bhfeidhmeanna sin.
25.—(1) Déantar leis seo feidhmeanna an Phríomh-Bhreithimh faoi aon cheann d'fhorálacha (seachas fo-alt (3) d'alt 14) den Phríomh-Acht a aistriú chun Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte, agus forléireofar dá réir sin tagairtí sna forálacha sin don Phríomh-Bhreitheamh.
(2) (a) Féadfaidh Coiste Rialacha na nUaschúirteanna rialacha a dhéanamh le haghaidh éisteacht iarratas agus achomharc ag Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte faoin bPríomh-Acht, arna leasú le fo-alt (1) den alt seo agus i gcoitinne maidir le nós imeachta i ndáil leis na hábhair sin.
(b) Féadfaidh cibé forálacha maidir le costais is cuí le hUachtarán na hArd-Chúirte a bheith in ordú a dhéanfar de dhroim aon iarratais nó achomhairc chun Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte faoin bPríomh-Acht, arna leasú le fo-alt (1) den alt seo.
Alt 49 den Phríomh-Acht a leasú.
26.—Cuirfear na míreanna seo a leanas in ionad mhír (l) d'fho-alt (1) d'alt 49 den Phríomh-Acht:
“(l) é do mhainniú déanamh de réir ordú ón Ard-Chúirt,
(m) é do mhainniú déanamh de réir rialachán a rinneadh faoi alt 66 nó 71 den Acht seo.”
Alt 73 den Phríomh-Acht a leasú.
27.—Cuirfear na fo-ailt seo a leanas le halt 73 den Phríomh-Acht:
“(6) Féadfaidh comhalta de choiste faoin alt seo éirí as a oifig trí lítir a chuirfear leis an bpost cláraithe go dtí an Chomhairle agus beidh éifeacht ag an éirí as ar an dáta a sheachadfar an litir.
(7) Féadfaidh an Chomhairle comhalta de choiste faoin alt seo a chur den choiste sin, féadfaidh siad folúntas sa choiste sin a líonadh agus féadfaidh siad an líon daoine ar an gcoiste sin a mhéadú nó a laghdú.
(8) Féadfaidh coiste faoin alt seo gníomhú d'ainneoin folúntas nó folúntais ina gcomhaltas.
(9) Féadfaidh comhalta de choiste faoin alt seo, ba chomhalta den Chomhairle ar dháta a cheaptha, gníom hú ar an gcoiste d'ainneoin é a bheith tar éis scor de bheith ina chomhalta den Chomhairle agus, chun críocha mhír (a) nó mhír (b) (i gcás inarb iomchuí sin) d'fho-alt (3) den alt seo, measfar gur comhalta den Chomhairle é.”
An Séú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an bPríomh-Acht a leasú.
28.—I mír 8 den Séú Sceideal a ghabhann leis an bPríomh-Acht, déanfar an tagairt d'alt 21 (a aisghairtear leis an Acht seo) den Phríomh-Acht a fhorléiriú mar thagairt d'alt 17 den Acht seo.
Pionós mar gheall ar fhianaise bhréagach, etc.
29.—Aon duine a thabharfaidh, go toiliúil éillitheach, fianaise bhréagach, nó a mhionnóidh go toiliúil éillitheach aon ní bréagach, agus é faoi scrúdú faoi mhionn a údaraítear faoin Acht seo nó faoin bPríomh-Acht, nó in aon mhionnscríbhinn i leith nó i dtaobh aon ábhair a éireoidh faoin Acht seo nó faoin bPríomh-Acht, dlífear, ar é a chiontú ann, na pionóis mar gheall ar mhionnú ithigh go toiliúil éillitheach a chur air.
Sirboheáil deiciméad.
30.—I gcás ina gceanglaítear nó ina n-údaraítear leis an bPríomh-Acht nó faoi nó leis an Acht seo nó faoi nó le haon rialacháin nó faoi aon rialacháin arna ndéanamh faoin gcéanna a sheirbhéail ar aon duine, beidh feidhm ag na forálacha seo a leanas maidir le seirbheáil an doiciméid sin—
(a) féadfar é a sheirbheáil—
(i) trína sheachadadh don duine sin, nó
(ii) trína chur leis an bpost cláraithe i gclúdach faoi sheoladh an duine sin go dtí an áit ghnó nó chónaithe is déanaí is eol a bheith aige sa Stát nó, más aturnae é, go dtí an seoladh is déanaí i gclár na n-aturnaetha cleachtacha,
(b) má tá an duine sin lasmuigh den Stát nó mura feasach, agus nach féidir a fhios a fháil ó fhiosruithe réasúnacha, cá bhfuil sé, nó má cuireadh ar ais gan a sheachadadh an fógra nó an doiciméad tar éis é a chur leis an bpost cláraithe mar a shonraítear i bhfomhír (ii) de mhír (a) den fho-alt seo, féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt cibé ordú a dhéanamh a mheasfar a bheith cóir le haghaidh seirbheála ionadaí nó seirbheála eile, nó le haghaidh fógra a thabhairt, trí fhógrán nó eile, in ionad seirbheáil a dhéanamh.
Forálacha maidir le deimhnithe cuntasóirí.
31.—(1) Uair amháin gach bliain chleachta, déanfaidh gach aturnae lena mbaineann forálacha na Rialachán um Chuntais Aturnaetha, mura sásóidh sé an Cumann nach gá, mar gheall ar imthoscaí a cháis, sin a dhéanamh, deimhniú a bheidh sínithe ag cuntasóir (dá ngairtear deimhniú cuntasóra san alt seo) a sheachadadh don chláraitheoir agus ina n-inseofar—
(a) gur scrúdaigh an cuntasóir, i gcomhlíonadh an ailt seo agus aon rialachán faoin alt seo, leabhair, cuntais agus doiciméid an aturnae nó a ghnólachta in aghaidh cibé tréimhse cuntasaíochta a shonrófar sa deimhniú,
(b) cibé acu atá nó nach bhfuil an cuntasóir sásta, ón scrúdú a rinne sé ar na leabhair, na cuntais agus na doiciméid a tugadh ar aird dó agus ón eolas agus na mínithe a tugadh dó, gur chomhlíon an t-aturnae nó a ghnólacht i gcaitheamh na tréimhse cuntasaíochta sin na Rialacháin um Chuntais Aturnaetha, agus
(c) mura mbeidh an cuntasóir sásta mar a dúradh, na hábhair nach bhfuil sé sásta amhlaidh ina dtaobh.
(2) Déanfaidh an Cumann, le comhthoiliú Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte, rialacháin (dá ngairtear na Rialacháin um Dheimhniú Cuntasóra san alt seo) ina n-ordófar—
(a) na cáilíochtaí nach mór a bheith ag cuntasóir a fhéadfaidh deimhniú cuntasóra a thabhairt,
(b) sórt agus réim an scrúdaithe a bheidh le déanamh ag an gcuntasóir ar leabhair agus cuntais aturnae nó a ghnólachta agus ar aon doiciméid iomchuí eile faoi chomhair deimhniú a shíniú a bheidh le seachadadh ag an aturnae faoin alt seo,
(c) foirm dheimhniú an chuntasóra, agus
(d) an fhianaise, más aon fhianaise é, a shásóidh an Cumann nach gá deimhniú cuntasóra a sheachadadh agus na cásanna inar gá nó nach gá an fhianaise sin.
(3) Féadfaidh foráil a bheith sna Rialacháin um Dheimhniú Cuntasóra—
(a) ag ceadú, i cibé imthoscaí speisialta a mhíneofar sna rialacháin, tréimhse cuntasaíochta seachas an ceann a shonraítear i bhfo-alt (4) den alt seo, agus
(b) ag rialáil aon ábhar maidir le nós imeachta nó ábhar a bheidh fo-ghabhálach nó teagmhasach le forálacha an ailt seo nó forlíontach orthu.
(4) Faoi réir na Rialachán um Dheimhniú Cuntasóra, maidir le tréimhse chuntasaíochta chun críocha deimhniú cuntasóra—
(a) tosóidh sí ar dheireadh a bheith leis an tréimhse chuntasaíochta deiridh roimhe sin ar seachadadh deimhniú cuntasóra ina haghaidh,
(b) is tréimhse dhá mhí dhéag ar a laghad a bheidh inti,
(c) críochnóidh sí dhá mhí dhéag ar a mhéid, nó cibé tréimhse is giorra ná sin a ordóidh na Rialacháin um Dheimhniú Cuntasóra, roimh an dáta a sheachadfar an deimhniú don chláraitheoir, agus
(d) beidh sí más féidir sin, i gcomhréir leis na míreanna sin roimhe seo, comhionann le tréimhse nó tréimhsí comhleanúnacha dá n-ullmhaítear de ghnáth cuntais an aturnae nó a ghnólachta.
(5) Beidh deimhniú faoi láimh an chláraitheora ina fhianaise, nó go gcruthaítear a mhalairt, go bhfuil nó, de réir mar a bheidh, nach bhfuil, aturnae tar éis deimhniú cuntasóra a sheachadadh don chláraitheoir nó aon fhianaise a thabhairt is gá faoin alt seo nó faoi na Rialacháin um Dheimhniú Cuntasóra.
(6) Sula n-eiseofar deimhniú cleachta chun aturnae, comhlíonfaidh sé forálacha an ailt seo agus na Rialachán um Dheimhniú Cuntasóra agus féadfaidh an cláraitheoir eisiúint an deimhnithe chleachta a choimeád siar nó go seachadfaidh an t-aturnae dó deimhniú cuntasóra in aghaidh na tréimhse cuntasaíochta deiridh roimhe sin á rá gur chomhlíon an t-aturnae na Rialacháin um Chuntais Aturnaetha i gcaitheamh na tréimhse sin.
Forálacha maidir le cuntais áirithe a bheidh ag aturnae i mbanc.
32.—(1) Más rud é—
(a) go mbreithneofar aturnae ina fhéimheach nó go ndéanfaidh sé imshocraíocht lena chreidiúnaithe nó gníomhas comhshocraíochta chun tairbhe a chreidiúnaithe nó go bhfaighidh sé bás agus é dócmhainneach, agus
(b) go mbeidh an tsuim a bheidh chun creidiúna an chuntais chliaint a bheidh á choimeád ag an aturnae i mbanc de réir rialachán faoi alt 66 den Phríomh-Acht, nó, i gcás dhá chuntas nó níos mó den sórt sin a bheith á gcoimeád ag an aturnae, iomlán na suimeanna a bheidh chun creidiúna na gcuntas sin, níos lú ná iomlán na suimeanna a fuair an t-aturnae i gcúrsa a chleachta thar ceann a chliant agus a bheidh fós dlite uaidh dóibh,
ansin, d'ainneoin aon riail dlí contrártha dó sin, beidh an tsuim a bheidh chun creidiúna an chuntais chliaint sin, nó, i gcás dhá chuntas cliaint nó níos mó a bheith á gcoimeád ag an aturnae, iomlán na suimeanna a bheidh chun creidiúna na gcuntas sin, inroinnte go comhréireach ar chliaint an aturnae de réir na suimeanna faoi seach a fuair an t-aturnae i gcúrsa a chleachta thar ceann a chliant agus a bheidh fós dlite uaidh dóibh.
(2) Chun críocha an ailt seo ní chuirfear san áireamh—
(a) aon chuntas i mbanc a bheidh á choimeád ag an aturnae ina ainm féin do chliant sonraithe,
(b) suimeanna a fuair an t-aturnae i gcúrsa a chleachta thar ceann an chliaint sin agus a bheidh fós dlite uaidh don chliant a mhéid is ionann sin agus an tsuim a bheidh sa chuntas bainc in ainm an aturnae don chliant,
(c) aon chuntas i mbanc a bheidh á choimeád ag an aturnae ina ainm féin le haghaidh airgid aon iontaobhais arb é an t-aturnae an t-iontaobhaí aonair ina leith nó arb iad na iontaobhaithe ina leith an t-aturnae maraon le páirtí, cléireach nó seirbhíseach dá chuid nó maraon le níos mó ná duine amháin den sórt sin, nó
(d) suimeanna a fuair an t-aturnae i gcúrsa a chleachta thar ceann an iontaobhais sin agus a bheidh fós dlite uaidh don iontaobhas a mhéid is ionann sin agus an tsuim a bheidh sa chuntas bainc in ainm an aturnae don iontaobhas.
(3) I gcás ina ndéanfaidh an Ard-Chúirt an Sannaí Oifigiúil i bhFéimheacht a cheapadh mar iontaobhaí faoi alt 25 den Trustee Act, 1893, i leith aon chuntais nó cuntas a bheidh á choimeád nó á gcoimeád ag aturnae i mbanc de réir rialachán faoi alt 68 den Phríomh-Acht, beidh na táillí cúirte sin is iníoctha ar chuntas réadaithe ag an Sannaí Oifigiúil in ábhar féimheachta iníoctha san Oifig Féimheachta.
(4) Chun críocha an ailt seo folóidh aon tagairt do chuntas i mbanc tagairt d'admháil ar thaisce i mbanc.
Comhaltaí urghnácha breise den Chomhairle.
33.—(1) San alt seo—
ciallaíonn “an Chairt” an Chairt Ríoga dar dáta an 5ú lá d'Aibreán, 1852, trínar corpraíodh Dlí-Chumann Corpraithe na hÉireann faoin ainm “the Incorporated Society of Attorneys and Solicitors of Ireland”;
ciallaíonn “an Chairt Fhorlíontach” an Chairt Ríoga dar dáta an 14ú lá de Nollaig, 1888, trína ndearnadh téarmaí na Cairte a leasú agus a leathnú.
(2) D'ainneoin aon ní atá sa Chairt Fhorlíontach, féadfaidh an Chomhairle aon aturnae a cheapadh mar chomhalta urghnách breise den Chomhairle a shealbhóidh, tráth a cheaptha, oifig mar Uachtarán ar Chomhairle Chomhlachas Barra Aturnaetha Bhaile Átha Cliath nó mar chomhalta den Chomhairle sin.
(3) Ní bheidh níos mó ná triúr comhalta urghnácha breise ann aon tráth.
(4) Beidh gach comhalta urghnách breise i seilbh oifige in aghaidh na tréimhse a bheidh gnáth-chomhaltaí na Comhairle, a shealbhóidh oifig an tráth a cheapfar an comhalta urghnách breise sin, i seilbh oifige.
(5) Beidh ag comhaltaí urghnácha breise i gcaitheamh a dtéarmaí oifige na cumhachtaí agus na dualgais chéanna a thugtar leis an gCairt agus leis an gCairt Fhorlíontach do ghnáthchomhaltaí na Comhairle, ach amháin nach mbeidh aon chomhalta urghnách breise cáilithe chun bheith ina Uachtarán ná ina Leas-Uachtarán ar an gComhairle.
AN CHÉAD SCEIDEAL
Forálacha den Phríomh-Acht a Aisghairtear
Cuid I
Forálacha a Aisghairtear go hIomlán
Forálacha den Phríomh-Acht | Méid na hAisghairme |
(1) | (2) |
Fo-alt (1) d'alt 3. | An míniú ar “an Coiste Araíonachta”. |
Fo-alt (4) d'alt 3. | Na focail “den Chúirt Uachtarach nó”. |
Fo-alt (1) d'alt 6. | Na focail “den Chúirt Uachtarach nó”. |
Alt 13. | An t-alt iomlán. |
Alt 14. | Fo-ailt (1) agus (2). |
Ailt 15 go 23. | Iomlán gach ailt díobh. |
Fo-alt (1) d'alt 49. | Míreanna (b), (c) agus (l). |
Fo-alt (1) d'alt 66. | Mír (f). |
Alt 70. | An t-alt iomlán. |
Alt 80. | An t-alt iomlán. |
Alt 83. | An t-alt iomlán. |
Cuid II
Forálacha a Aisghairtear maille le Cosaint
Forálacha den Phríomh-Acht | Méid na hAisghairme |
(1) | (2) |
Alt 69. | An t-alt iomlán. |
An Cúigiú Sceideal. | An Sceideal go léir. |
AN DARA SCEIDEAL
Forálacha ag a bhfuil Éifeacht chun Críocha Ailt 8 (2) (a) agus 19 (5) (a) den Acht seo
Beidh éifeacht ag na forálacha seo a leanas chun críocha na bhforálacha seo a leanas den Acht seo, eadhon, mír (a) d'fho-alt (2) d'alt 8 agus mír (a) d'fho-alt (5) d'alt 19—
(a) féadfaidh an Cumann, ar iad d'fháil iarratais doiciméid a sheachadadh ó dhuine a bheidh á éileamh go bhfuil teideal aige na doiciméid sin a bheith ina sheilbh nó faoina choimeád—
(i) éileamh an duine sin ar sheilbh nó coimeád na ndoiciméad sin a fhiosrú, nó
(ii) a cheangal ar an duine sin aturnae a ainmniú chun seachadadh na ndoiciméad a ghlacadh thar a cheann,
(b) ní bheidh de cheangal ar an gCumann fiosrú a dhéanamh i dtaobh éilimh aon duine a iarrfaidh go seachadfar doiciméid a bheidh i seilbh an Chumainn ná na doiciméid sin a chur ar sceideal nó ar liosta ach amháin ar chostas an duine sin, agus beidh íoc cibé suime a iarrfaidh an Cumann mar éarlais i leith costas agus caiteachas an fhiosraithe nó an churtha ar sceideal nó ar liosta ina choinníoll nach foláir a chomhlíonadh sula rachaidh an Cumann i mbun an fhiosraithe nó sula seachadfaidh siad na doiciméid sin don duine sin.
(c) féadfaidh an Cumann nó an duine a thabharfaidh éarlais mar a dúradh a cheangal, tar éis an t-éileamh a fhiosrú, go ndéanfar na costais agus na caiteachais lena mbainfidh an éarlais a fhómhas ag Máistir Fómhais don Ard-Chúirt (faoi réir achomhairc chun na hArd-Chúirte), agus beidh an tsuim a chinnfear san fhómhas sin a bheith dlite, tar éis na creidiúintí córa uile a cheadú, ina fiach conartha shimplí ar an duine sin ag an gCumann nó ar an gCumann ag an duine sin (de réir mar a bheidh) agus féadfar í a ghnóthú in aon chúirt dlínse inniúla,
(d) más rud é, in ionad fiosrú a dhéanamh i dtaobh éileamh duine a iarrfaidh go seachadfar doiciméid, go gceanglóidh an Cumann ar an duine sin aturnae a ainmiú chun seachadadh na ndoiciméad sin a ghlacadh thar a cheann, féadfaidh an Cumann na doiciméid a choimeád go dtí go ndéanfar an t-ainmniú go cuí,
(e) ar aturnae a ainmniú chun seachadadh doiciméad a ghlacadh, féadfaidh an Cumann na doiciméid a sheachadadh don aturnae mar mhalairt—
(i) ar admháil i leith na ndoiciméad,
(ii) ar dhearbhú reachtúil ón aturnae go bhfuil, de réir mar is fearr is eol dó agus mar a chreideann sé, teideal dleachtach chun na doiciméid sin a bheith ina sheilbh ag an duine ar ar a ainmniú atá sé ag gníomhú agus nach bhfuil aon teideal tosaíochta chun na ndoiciméad sin ná aon éileamh orthu i bhfoirm morgáiste, muirir, liain ná eile ag aon duine eile,
(iii) ar dhearbhú reachtúil sa chéill chéanna ón duine a bheidh á iarraidh go seachadfar na doiciméid, agus
(iv) ar ghealltanas ón aturnae na doiciméid a thabhairt ar ais don Chumann má fhaightear amach, le linn na doiciméid a bheith ina sheilbh, nach raibh an teideal sin ag a chliant ar dháta an dearbhaithe,
agus is urscaoileadh iomlán don Chumann ar na doiciméid an admháil, na dearbhuithe agus an gealltanas sin,
(f) ní bheidh aon ábhar caingne ná éileamh i gcoinne an Chumainn ag duine ar bith a éileoidh teideal a bheith aige chun doiciméad nó chun aon mhaoine lena mbainfidh siad, nó chun aon mhorgáiste, muirir nó liain i leith na ndoiciméad nó na maoine sin mar gheall ar aon chaillteanas nó díobháil a tharla toisc an Cumann do ghlacadh seilbhe ar na doiciméid nó toisc an Cumann do sheachadadh na ndoiciméad de réir an Sceidil seo,
(g) beidh lian ag an gCumann ar dhoiciméid i leith na gcostas agus na gcaiteachas go léir faoin rachaidh an Cumann, má théann, i ndáil leis na doiciméid sin (lena n-áirítear, más iomchuí, na costais agus na caiteachais a bhainfidh le fiosrú éilimh ó aon duine a éileoidh teideal a bheith aige chun na ndoiciméad sin).
AN TRIU SCEIDEAL
Forálacha Maidir leis an gCiste Cúitimh
1. Sa Sceideal seo ciallaíonn “an Ciste” an Ciste Cúitimh.
2. Féadfaidh an Cumann airgead de chuid an Chiste a infheistiú in urrúis a bhfuil iontaobhaithe údaraithe le dlí cistí iontaobhais a infheistiú iontu.
3. Féadfaidh an Cumann airgead a thógáil ar iasacht le haghaidh an Chiste agus, chun urrús a thabhairt i leith na hiasachta sin, infheistíochtaí de chuid an Chiste a chur faoi mhuirear.
4. Féadfaidh an Cumann dul faoi árachas i gcoinne aon fhiontair a bhainfidh leis an gCiste.
5. Íocfar isteach sa Chiste—
(a) na ranníocaí bliantúla agus na ranníocaí breise go léir a íocfar leis an gCumann faoi alt 22 den Acht seo,
(b) an t-ús, na díbhinní agus an t-ioncam eile go léir agus an biseach go léir ar chaipiteal de thairbhe an Ciste nó aon chuid de a infheistiú,
(c) an fáltas as aon infheistíochtaí de chuid an Chiste a réadú,
(d) an t-airgead go léir a thógfar ar iasacht chun críocha an Chiste,
(e) an t-airgead go léir a gheobhaidh an Cumann faoi aon árachas faoina rachaidh an Cumann faoi mhír 4 den Sceideal seo,
(f) na pionóis go léir a ghnóthóidh an Cumann faoi fho-alt (3) d'alt 8 den Acht seo,
(g) an t-airgead go léir a gheobhaidh an Cumann faoi fho-alt (8) d'alt 21 den Acht seo,
(h) aon airgead eile de chuid an Chiste nó a fhaibhreoidh chun an Chiste nó a gheobhaidh an Cumann maidir leis an gCiste.
6. Íocfar amach as an gCiste—
(a) costais, muirir agus caiteachais faoina rachfar ag cothabháil, ag cosaint, ag riaradh agus ag úsáid an Chiste.
(b) préimheanna aon árachais faoina rachaidh an Cumann faoi mhír 4 den Sceideal seo,
(c) aisíocaíochtaí i leith airgead a thóg an Cumann ar iasacht don Chiste agus íocaíochtaí úis ar airgead den sórt sin,
(d) aon íocaíochtaí deontais a dhéanfaidh an Cumann faoi alt 21 den Acht seo,
(e) costais, muirir agus caiteachais faoina rachaidh an Cumann faoi Chuid III den Acht seo nó faoin Sceideal seo,
(f) costais, muirir agus caiteachais faoina rachaidh an Cumann ag cur iallach na Rialacháin um Chuntais Aturnaetha a chomhlíonadh agus ag fáil amach cé acu atá nó nach bhfuil na Rialacháin sin comhlíonta,
(g) suimeanna eile is iníoctha go cuí as an gCiste.
Number 37 of 1960.
SOLICITORS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1960.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Preliminary and General
Section | |
Disciplinary Provisions in Relation to Solicitors
Control of Solicitor's Property and Compensation to Clients in Certain Cases
Miscellaneous
Provisions in relation to certain accounts kept by a solicitor at a bank. | |
Provisions of the Principal Act Repealed
Provisions having effect for the purposes of sections 8 (2) (a) and 19 (5) (a) of this Act
Provisions in relation to the Compensation Fund
Act Referred to | |
1954, No. 36 | |
Number 37 of 1960.
SOLICITORS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1960.
PART I
Preliminary and General
Short title and collective citation.
1.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Solicitors (Amendment) Act, 1960.
(2) The Principal Act and this Act may be cited together as the Solicitors Acts, 1954 and 1960.
Commencement.
2.—This Act shall come into operation as follows:
(a) section 31 shall come into operation on such day as the Minister for Justice, by order made on the request of the Society, appoints,
(b) the remainder of this Act shall come into operation on the passing of this Act.
Interpretation.
3.—(1) In this Act—
“the Compensation Fund” means the Compensation Fund established under section 69 (repealed by this Act) of the Principal Act;
“the Disciplinary Committee” has the meaning assigned to it by section 6 of this Act;
“documents” includes deeds, wills, papers, books of account, records, vouchers and correspondence;
“the former Disciplinary Committee” means the committee constituted by section 13 (repealed by this Act) of the Principal Act;
“misconduct” includes—
(a) the commission of treason or a felony or a misdemeanour,
(b) the commission, outside the State, of a crime or an offence which would be a felony or a misdemeanour if committed in the State,
(c) the contravention of a provision of the Principal Act or this Act or any order or regulation made thereunder,
(d) conduct tending to bring the solicitors' profession into disrepute;
“the Principal Act” means the Solicitors Act, 1954;
“the Solicitors' Accounts Regulations” means the regulations relating to accounts made by the Society for the purposes of section 66 of the Principal Act.
(2) In this Act, references to the Principal Act shall, where the context so requires or permits, be construed as references to the Principal Act as amended by this Act.
(3) This Act shall be construed as one with the Principal Act.
Meaning of “solicitor” in the Principal Act and this Act.
4.—In the Principal Act and this Act, “solicitor”, where the context so permits or requires, includes a former solicitor or a deceased solicitor.
Repeals.
5.—(1) The provisions of the Principal Act set out in column (1) of Part I of the First Schedule to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent specified in column (2) of the said Part I.
(2) The provisions of the Principal Act set out in column (1) of Part II of the First Schedule to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent specified in column (2) of the said Part II, but shall continue to apply to any case where, in the opinion of the Society, the loss arose before the passing of this Act.
PART II
Disciplinary Provisions in Relation to Solicitors
Disciplinary Committee.
6.—(1) The President of the High Court shall, from time to time as occasion requires, appoint, from amongst the members of the Council and such former members of the Council as are practising as solicitors, a disciplinary committee (in this Act referred to as the Disciplinary Committee) consisting of not less than seven and not more than ten persons.
(2) A member of the Disciplinary Committee may resign his office by letter sent by registered post to the President of the High Court and his resignation shall take effect on the date on which the letter is delivered.
(3) The President of the High Court may remove a member of the Disciplinary Committee, may fill a vacancy therein and, subject to the limits stated in subsection (1) of this section, may increase or reduce the number of persons thereon.
(4) The Disciplinary Committee may act notwithstanding one or more than one vacancy in their membership.
(5) The Society shall defray any costs or expenses incurred by the Disciplinary Committee.
(6) The quorum of the Disciplinary Committee shall be three.
(7) A member of the Disciplinary Committee, who was a member of the Council at the date of his appointment, may act on the Disciplinary Committee notwithstanding the fact that he has ceased to be a member of the Council.
Inquiry by the Disciplinary Committee into the conduct of a solicitor alleged to have committed misconduct.
7.—(1) An application by another person or by the Society for an inquiry into the conduct of a solicitor on the ground of alleged misconduct shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be made to and heard by the Disciplinary Committee in accordance with rules made under section 16 of this Act.
(2) Where an application in relation to a solicitor is duly made under this section and the Disciplinary Committee, after consideration of the application, are of opinion that there is no prima facie case for inquiry, they shall so inform the applicant in writing and shall take no further action in relation to the application.
(3) Where an application in relation to a solicitor is duly made under this section and the Disciplinary Committee, after consideration of the application, are of opinion that there is a prima facie case for inquiry, the following provisions shall have effect—
(a) they shall proceed to hold an inquiry;
(b) on completion of the inquiry, the Disciplinary Committee shall embody their findings in a report to the High Court, specifying therein the nature of the application and the evidence laid before them and any other matters in relation to the solicitor which they may think fit to report, including their opinion as to the fitness or otherwise of the solicitor to be a member of the solicitors' profession having regard to the contents of the report;
(c) if the Disciplinary Committee find that there has been misconduct on the part of the solicitor in respect of any matter complained of in the application or that the solicitor has not answered satisfactorily the allegations against him, the Society shall bring the report before the High Court.
(4) Where an application is made under this section, the Disciplinary Committee may, at any stage of the proceedings in relation to the application and before making a report to the High Court, postpone the taking of any steps or further steps in the matter for a specified period and, if they do so, then, if before the expiration of that period the applicant applies to the Disciplinary Committee for leave to withdraw the application, the Disciplinary Committee may, if they think fit, allow the application to be withdrawn and, if they do so, no further action shall be taken by them in relation to the application.
(5) The Society—
(a) shall be entitled to make an application to the Disciplinary Committee in accordance with the provisions of this section, notwithstanding that any other person may be entitled to make such an application, and
(b) may authorise any person on their behalf to do all such things and acts as may be necessary for the purposes of such application.
Proceedings before the High Court in relation to a report brought before the Court under section 7.
8.—(1) Where the Disciplinary Committee, after holding an inquiry into the conduct of a solicitor, make, under section 7 of this Act, to the High Court a report which is brought before the High Court by the Society under the said section 7, the following provisions shall have effect—
(a) the High Court, after consideration of the report—
(i) may by order
(I) strike the name of the solicitor off the roll,
(II) suspend the solicitor from practice for such period as the High Court may fix, or
(III) censure the solicitor or censure him and require him to pay a money penalty,
(ii) may make such order as to the costs incurred in the proceedings before it and the Disciplinary Committee as it thinks fit,
(iii) may make any ancillary order in relation to the case which the High Court may think fit,
(b) the High Court may, if it thinks fit, on special grounds, remit the case to the Disciplinary Committee to take further evidence for submission to it and make to it a supplementary report, and the Court may adjourn the hearing of the case pending the submission to it of such further evidence and the making of such supplementary report,
(c) in addition to doing any of the things specified in the foregoing paragraphs of this subsection, the High Court may also by order do any one or more of the following things—
(i) direct the solicitor to make such restitution to any aggrieved party as the High Court thinks fit,
(ii) on the application of the Society, direct the delivery to any person appointed by the Society of all or any documents in the possession or control of the solicitor or his firm or relating to any trust of which the solicitor is or was the sole trustee or of which the trustees are or were the solicitor with a partner, clerk or servant of his or with more than one of such persons,
(iii) direct either—
(I) that no banking company shall, without leave of the High Court, make any payment out of a banking account in the name of the solicitor or his firm, or
(II) that a specified banking company shall not, without leave of the High Court, make any payment out of a banking account in the name of the solicitor or his firm.
(2) (a) Where an order with respect to documents is made by the High Court under subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section, the Society may make inquiries to ascertain the person or persons to whom the documents belong and may deal with the documents in accordance with the direction of such person or persons.
(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this subsection, the provisions set out in the Second Schedule to this Act shall have effect.
(3) Where the High Court by an order under subsection (1) of this section requires a solicitor to pay a money penalty, the order shall operate as a judgment against the solicitor in favour of the Society, and the money penalty, when recovered, shall be paid into the Compensation Fund.
(4) If any person acts as agent or nominee of a solicitor or his firm so as to render nugatory an order made by the High Court under subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section, such person shall be guilty of an offence under this subsection and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.
Removal at his own request of name of solicitor from the roll.
9.—(1) An application by a solicitor to have his name removed from the roll shall be made to and heard by the Disciplinary Committee in accordance with rules made under section 16 of this Act.
(2) Where an application is made by a solicitor under this section, the Disciplinary Committee shall consider the application, and thereupon the following provisions shall have effect—
(a) if they are of opinion that the application should be granted without making a report to the High Court, they shall order accordingly,
(b) if not of that opinion—
(i) they shall make a report on the application to the High Court,
(ii) the Society shall bring the report before the High Court,
(iii) the High Court, after consideration of the application and the report, may make an order either refusing the application or granting it and as to the payment of costs.
Restoration of name of solicitor to the roll.
10.—(1) The High Court shall have power to order that the name of a solicitor, whose name has been struck off the roll by an order made by the High Court under section 8 of this Act or under the said section 8 as applied by section 11 of this Act or whose name has been removed from the roll under section 9 of this Act, shall be restored to the roll.
(2) A person seeking to have his name restored to the roll under this section may apply to the High Court and shall give notice of his intended application to the Society, who shall be entitled to appear and be heard on any such application.
(3) On the hearing of an application under this section the High Court may refuse the application or may order that the name of the applicant be restored to the roll and may order the payment by the applicant of the costs and expenses of the Society in relation to the application.
Jurisdiction of High Court in relation to a solicitor in respect of whom order striking his name off the roll was purported to have been made under section 18 of the Principal Act.
11.—Where, before the passing of this Act, the former Disciplinary Committee made, in purported exercise of powers purported to have been conferred on them by section 18 (repealed by this Act) of the Principal Act, an order providing for the striking off the roll of the name of a solicitor, the Society may, on notice to the solicitor, apply by notice of motion (of not less than ten days' duration) to the High Court for an order striking off the roll the name of the solicitor, and, if the Society so apply, then the following provisions shall have effect—
(a) all available affidavits and other available documentary evidence which were before the former Disciplinary Committee and all available transcripts of evidence given before them shall be admissible as evidence on the consideration of the application by the High Court,
(b) the High Court, after reading those affidavits, other documentary evidence and transcripts, receiving any additional evidence tendered by the Society or the solicitor and taking into consideration any other matters in relation to the solicitor brought to its notice by the Society, shall deal with the application as if it were a report in relation to the solicitor made to the High Court by the Disciplinary Committee and brought before the High Court by the Society under section 7 of this Act, and section 8 of this Act shall apply accordingly.
Finality of orders of the High Court.
12.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, an order of the High Court under section 8 of this Act, under that section as applied by section 11 of this Act or under section 9 or section 10 of this Act shall be final and not appealable.
(2) By leave of the High Court, an appeal, by the Society or the section 8 of this Act, under that section as applied by section 11 of this Act or under section 9 or section 10 of this Act shall lie to the Supreme Court on a specified question of law.
Exercise of jurisdiction of the High Court under sections 8, 9, 10 and 11.
13.—The jurisdiction vested in the High Court by section 8, 9, 10 or 11 of this Act shall be exercised by the President of the High Court or, if and wherever the President of the High Court so directs, by an ordinary judge of the High Court for the time being assigned in that behalf by the President of the High Court.
Privilege in respect of certain proceedings under the Principal Act and this Act.
14.—The following—
(a) the doing, before the passing of this Act, by the former Disciplinary Committee or the registrar, in purported exercise of the powers purported to have been conferred on them or him by section 18 or 21 of the Principal Act, of any act, being an act purported to have been authorised to be done by such section,
(b) the making to the High Court by the Disciplinary Committee of a report under section 7 or 9 of this Act or a supplemental report under paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 8 of this Act,
(c) the bringing by the Society of a report before the High Court under section 7 or 9 of this Act,
(d) the publishing, in accordance with section 17 of this Act, of any notice authorised by the said section 17,
(e) the making, before the passing of this Act, of an application to the former Disciplinary Committee under section 14 of the Principal Act or the giving of any information in connection with such an application, and
(f) the making of an application under section 7 of this Act or the giving of any information in connection with such application,
shall be absolutely privileged and shall, in respect of the doing of any act specified in paragraph (a) or (e) of this section, be deemed always to have been absolutely privileged.
Powers of the Disciplinary Committee as to taking evidence, etc.
15.—(1) The Disciplinary Committee shall, for the purposes of any inquiry held by them under section 7 of this Act or the consideration of an application under section 9 of this Act, or the taking of further evidence under paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 8 of this Act, have the powers, rights and privileges, vested in the High Court or a judge thereof on the hearing of an action, in respect of—
(a) the enforcement of the attendance of witnesses and their examination on oath or otherwise, and
(b) the compelling of the production of documents,
and a summons signed by a member of the Disciplinary Committee may be substituted for and shall be equivalent to any formal procedure capable of being issued in an action for enforcing the attendance of witnesses and compelling the production of documents.
(2) Where—
(a) a person on being duly summoned to attend before the Disciplinary Committee makes default in attending, or
(b) a person, being in attendance as a witness before the Disciplinary Committee, refuses to take an oath lawfully required by the Disciplinary Committee to be taken, or to produce any document in his power or control lawfully required by the Disciplinary Committee to be produced by him or to answer any question to which the Disciplinary Committee may lawfully require an answer, or
(c) a person, being in attendance before the Disciplinary Committee, does anything which, if the Disciplinary Committee were a court of law having power to commit for contempt, would be contempt of court,
the offence of that person may, by certificate, signed by two members of the Disciplinary Committee, be certified to the High Court and the High Court may thereupon inquire into the alleged offence and, after hearing any witnesses who may be produced against or on behalf of the person charged with the offence and any statements that may be offered in defence, punish or take steps for the punishment of that person in like manner as if he had been guilty of contempt of the High Court.
(3) A witness before the Disciplinary Committee shall be entitled to the same immunities and privileges as if he were a witness before the High Court.
Rules as to procedure in relation to applications to the Disciplinary Committee.
16.—(1) The Disciplinary Committee, with the concurrence of the President of the High Court, may make rules (not inconsistent with this Act) regulating—
(a) the making of applications to the Disciplinary Committee under this Act,
(b) the proceedings of the Disciplinary Committee under this Act,
and generally as to procedure in relation to those matters.
(2) Rules under this section may provide in particular for extending the period for furnishing any affidavit or document or for receiving an application or document notwithstanding any irregularity in its form where it appears to the Disciplinary Committee to be just to do so.
Filing of orders made by the High Court or the Disciplinary Committee and notice of certain orders made by the High Court.
17.—(1) The following—
(a) a copy of every order made by the High Court under this Act, and
(b) any order made by the Disciplinary Committee under section 9 of this Act,
shall be filed by the Disciplinary Committee with the registrar.
(2) Where an order striking the name of a solicitor off the roll or suspending a solicitor from practice is made by the High Court under section 8 of this Act or under the said section 8 as applied by section 11 of this Act, the registrar shall forthwith cause a notice stating the effect of the operative part of the order to be published in Iris Oifigiúil and shall also cause the notice to be published in such other manner as the Disciplinary Committee may direct.
(3) The registrar shall maintain separate files on which all orders made under this Act by the High Court or the Disciplinary Committee shall be entered in the following manner—
(a) on a file to be termed File A, there shall be entered each order striking the name of a solicitor off the roll or suspending a solicitor from practice made by the High Court under section 8 of this Act or under the said section 8 as applied by section 11 of this Act,
(b) on a file to be termed File B, there shall be entered any other order made under this Act by the High Court and any order made under section 9 of this Act by the Disciplinary Committee.
(4) The registrar shall furnish a copy of an entry on File A or File B to a person who applies in writing for such copy.
(5) Notwithstanding subsection (4) of this section, where—
(a) application is made for a copy of an entry on File A or File B being an entry which is earlier than two years before the date of the application, or
(b) application is made for a copy of an entry on File A or File B, being an entry in respect of which the Disciplinary Committee have directed the insertion of a note that the furnishing thereof might cause injustice,
a copy of the entry shall (save where the copy is furnished by order of a court) be furnished only by permission in writing of the Society.
Application of Bankers' Books Evidence Acts, 1879 and 1959.
18.—An application to or an inquiry or other proceeding before the Disciplinary Committee under this Act shall be a legal proceeding within the meaning of that expression as used in the Bankers' Books Evidence Acts, 1879 and 1959.
PART III
Control of Solicitor's Property and Compensation to Clients in Certain Cases
Power of Society to deal with documents of certain solicitors.
19.—(1) Where the Society are of opinion that a solicitor or a clerk or servant of a solicitor has been guilty of dishonesty in connection with that solicitor's practice as a solicitor or in connection with any trust of which that solicitor is a trustee, they may by notice require the production or delivery to any person appointed by the Society and may take possession of all or any documents in the possession or control of such solicitor or his firm or relating to any trust of which such solicitor is the sole trustee or of which the trustees are such solicitor with a partner, clerk or servant of his or with more than one of such persons.
(2) Where a person, having possession or control of documents which he has been required under this section to produce or deliver, refuses or fails to produce or deliver them in accordance with the requirement—
(a) he shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds, and
(b) the Society may apply to the High Court and that Court may by order require such person to produce or deliver the documents.
(3) Where the Society take possession of documents produced or delivered under a requirement under this section—
(a) they shall serve, on the solicitor and on every other person from whom the documents were received, a notice giving particulars of the documents and the date of taking possession thereof, and
(b) if any of the documents are grouped together as relating to a particular matter, the notice may give particulars of those documents by referring to the group and the matter to which it relates.
(4) Within fourteen days after service of a notice under subsection (3) of this section on a solicitor or other person, he may apply to the High Court for an order directing the Society to return the documents received by the Society to the person or persons from whom they were received or to such other person or persons as the applicant may require and the High Court may make the order applied for or such other order as the Court thinks fit.
(5) (a) Where an application is not made in accordance with subsection (4) of this section or the High Court on such application directs that the documents shall remain in the custody or control of the Society, the Society may make inquiries to ascertain the person or persons to whom the documents belong and may deal with the documents in accordance with the directions of such person or persons.
(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this subsection, the provisions set out in the Second Schedule to this Act shall have effect.
Control of banking accounts of solicitors.
20.—(1) Where the Society are of opinion that a solicitor or a clerk or servant of a solicitor has been guilty of dishonesty in connection with that solicitor's practice as a solicitor or in connection with any trust of which that solicitor is a trustee, they may apply to the High Court, and the High Court may make an order directing either—
(a) that no banking company shall, without leave of the High Court, make any payment out of a banking account in the name of the solicitor or his firm, or
(b) that a specified banking company shall not, without leave of the High Court, make any payment out of a banking account kept by such company in the name of the solicitor or his firm.
(2) The High Court shall have power to hear in camera an application for an order under subsection (1) of this section.
(3) Where the High Court make in relation to a solicitor an order under subsection (1) of this section, the High Court may at the same time order that his practising certificate be suspended until the certificate expires.
(4) If any person acts as agent or nominee of a solicitor or his firm so as to render nugatory an order made by the High Court under subsection (1) of this section, such person shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.
Compensation for loss due to dishonesty of solicitor or clerk or servant of solicitor.
21.—(1) In this section—
“the Fund” means the Compensation Fund;
“grant” means a grant under subsection (4) of this section.
(2) The Society shall continue to maintain the Fund.
(3) The Fund shall be maintained and administered in accordance with the provisions of the Third Schedule to this Act.
(4) Where it is proved to the satisfaction of the Society that any person has sustained loss in consequence of dishonesty on the part of any solicitor or any clerk or servant of a solicitor in connection with that solicitor's practice as a solicitor or in connection with any trust of which that solicitor is a trustee, then, subject to the provisions of this section, the Society shall make a grant to that person out of the Fund and the amount of the grant shall be such as represents in the opinion of the Society full indemnity for that loss.
(5) The Society shall have a discretion to make or refuse to make a grant—
(a) in a case in which the solicitor did not have a practising certificate in force at the time when, in the opinion of the Society, the loss arose,
(b) in a case in which the Society are of opinion that there has been negligence on the part of the claimant or of any person for whom he is responsible which has contributed to the loss in question, and
(c) in a case in which the Society are of opinion that the claimant has by his conduct actively assisted in the commission of misconduct by the solicitor,
and, where the Society decide to make a grant in any such case, they shall have a discretion to make it only to a limited extent.
(6) A grant may be made notwithstanding that the solicitor has, after the act of dishonesty, died, had his name removed from or struck off the roll, ceased to practise, been suspended from practice, or had his practising certificate suspended.
(7) No grant may be made in respect of a loss made good otherwise.
(8) (a) On the making of any grant to any person (in this subsection referred to as the grantee) in respect of any loss—
(i) the Society shall, to the amount of the grant, be subrogated—
(I) to any rights or remedies to which the grantee was entitled on account of the loss against the solicitor or any other person or against the estate of such solicitor or other person,
(II) to any rights or remedies to which the solicitor or his clerk or servant was entitled on account of the loss against any other person or against the estate of such other person,
(III) to all other rights and remedies (if any) of the grantee or such solicitor, clerk or servant in respect of the loss,
(ii) the grantee or his representative shall have no right under bankruptcy or other legal proceedings or otherwise to receive any sum out of the assets of the solicitor, clerk or servant in respect of the loss until the Society has been reimbursed the full amount of the grant.
(b) In paragraph (a) of this subsection, references to the grantee or the solicitor, clerk or servant include, in the event of his death, insolvency or other disability, references to his personal representative or any other person having authority to administer his estate.
(9) No grant shall be made unless notice of the loss is received by the Society—
(a) in the prescribed manner, and
(b) within the prescribed period after the loss comes to the knowledge of the loser.
(10) The Society, for the purposes of inquiry into any matters which may affect the making or refusal of a grant, may take evidence on oath, and the administration of such oath is hereby authorised.
(11) (a) A grant may, at the discretion of the Society, be paid either in one sum or in such instalments as the Society may determine.
(b) The Society, if they are of opinion that the financial stability of the Fund so requires, may postpone payment of any grant payable in one sum or payment of any instalment of a grant.
Contributions to the Compensation Fund by solicitors.
22.—(1) In this section “the Fund” means the Compensation Fund.
(2) Before a practising certificate is issued to a solicitor in respect of the practice year ending on the 5th day of January, 1962, or any subsequent practice year, he shall pay to the Society such annual contribution to the Fund as may be appropriate in accordance with the subsequent subsections of this section and the registrar may withhold the issue of the certificate until the payment is made.
(3) Subject to subsection (4) of this section, the annual contribution to the Fund payable by a solicitor under subsection (2) of this section shall be—
(a) in case the practising certificate in respect of which it is paid is issued to him within the period of three years beginning on the day of his admission—five pounds, and
(b) in any other case—twenty pounds.
(4) (a) At any time in any practice year, being—
(i) the practice year next following that at the end of which, for the first time, the total amount standing to the credit of the Fund (including the value of all investments forming part of the Fund but after deducting all outstanding liabilities) is more than £25,000, or
(ii) any subsequent practice year,
the Society may, if they think fit, determine that every solicitor taking out a practising certificate in respect of the next following practice year (not being a certificate issued to him within the period of three years beginning on the day of his admission) shall pay to the Society, as the annual contribution payable under subsection (2) of this section in the case of that year, such amount greater or less than twenty pounds as the Society may fix.
(b) In exercising the powers conferred by the foregoing paragraph, the Society shall have regard to the principle of maintaining the total amount standing to the credit of the Fund (including the value of all investments forming part of the Fund but after deducting all outstanding liabilities) at £25,000.
Arrangements with the Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland.
23.—(1) In this section—
“the corresponding society” means the Incorporated Law Society of Northern Ireland,
“corresponding certificate” means a certificate issued by the corresponding society and corresponding to a practising certificate,
“corresponding practitioners” means persons holding corresponding certificates.
(2) Where a scheme operated by the corresponding society requires corresponding practitioners controlled by that society to contribute to any fund or insurance policy, or to take out any insurance policy, for the compensation or indemnification of clients for or against losses due to defalcations of such practitioners or their clerks or servants, the Society may make arrangements and agreements with the corresponding society in regard to persons who are entitled both to take out practising certificates and to take out corresponding certificates, and any such arrangement or agreement may provide—
(a) for the payment by each such person of one combined annual contribution and the manner in which the combined contribution is to be applied for the purposes of the Compensation Fund and any fund or insurance policy maintained for the purposes of the said scheme,
(b) for the manner in which claims in respect of defalcations by any such person, or his clerk or servant, shall be treated and the extent, if any, to which those claims shall be paid by the Society and the corresponding society respectively,
(c) for any consequential or incidental matters.
Regulations for purposes of Part III.
24.—Regulations made with the concurrence of the President of the High Court may—
(a) provide for procedure (other than court procedure) to be followed in giving effect to the provisions of this Part of this Act and the Second and Third Schedules to this Act,
(b) make provisions ancillary or supplemental to the provisions of this Part of this Act and the Second and Third Schedules to this Act,
(c) make provisions giving effect to any arrangement or agreement pursuant to section 23 of this Act or ancillary or supplemental thereto.
PART IV
Miscellaneous
Transfer to the President of the High Court of certain functions of the Chief Justice under the Principal Act, and rules of court in relation to the exercise of those functions.
25.—(1) The functions of the Chief Justice under any of the provisions (other than subsection (3) of section 14) of the Principal Act are hereby transferred to the President of the High Court, and references in those provisions to the Chief Justice shall be construed accordingly.
(2) (a) The Superior Courts Rules Committee may make rules of court for the purposes of the hearing by the President of the High Court of applications and appeals under the Principal Act, as amended by subsection (1) of this section, and generally as to procedure in relation to those matters.
(b) An order made on any application or appeal to the President of the High Court under the Principal Act, as amended by subsection (1) of this section, may contain such provisions as to costs as the President of the High Court considers proper.
Amendment of section 49 of the Principal Act.
26.—The following paragraphs shall be substituted for paragraph (l) of subsection (1) of section 49 of the Principal Act:
“(l) having failed to comply with an order of the High Court,
(m) having failed to comply with regulations made under section 66 or 71 of this Act.”
Amendment of section 73 of the Principal Act.
27.—The following subsections shall be added to section 73 of the Principal Act:
“(6) A member of a committee under this section may resign his office by letter sent by registered post to the Council and his resignation shall take effect on the date on which the letter is delivered.
(7) The Council may remove a member of a committee under this section, may fill a vacancy therein and may increase or reduce the number of persons thereon.
(8) A committee under this section may act notwithstanding one or more than one vacancy in their membership.
(9) A member of a committee under this section, who was a member of the Council at the date of his appointment, may act on the committee notwithstanding the fact that he has ceased to be a member of the Council and, for the purposes of paragraph (a) or (b) (where relevant) of subsection (3) of this section, he shall be regarded as a member of the Council.”
Amendment of the Sixth Schedule to the Principal Act.
28.—In paragraph 8 of the Sixth Schedule to the Principal Act, the reference to section 21 (repealed by this Act) of the Principal Act shall be construed as a reference to section 17 of this Act.
Penalty for false evidence, etc.
29.—Any person who, upon examination on oath authorised under this Act or the Principal Act, or in any affidavit in or about any matter arising under this Act or the Principal Act, wilfully and corruptly gives false evidence or wilfully and corruptly swears anything which is false, being convicted thereof, shall be liable to the penalties for wilful and corrupt perjury.
Service of documents.
30.—Where any document is required or authorised by or under the Principal Act or this Act or any regulations made thereunder to be served on any person, the following provisions shall apply in relation to the service of that document—
(a) it may be served—
(i) by delivering it to that person, or
(ii) by sending it by registered post in an envelope addressed to that person at his last known place of business or residence in the State or, if he is a solicitor, at the last address appearing in the register of practising solicitors,
(b) where that person is absent from the State or his whereabouts is unknown and cannot be ascertained by reasonable inquiries, or where the notice or document, having been sent by registered post in the manner specified in subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (a) of this subsection, has been returned undelivered, the High Court may make such order for substituted or other service, or for the substitution for service of notice, by advertisement or otherwise, as may seem just.
Provisions as to accountants' certificates.
31.—(1) Every solicitor to whom the provisions of the Solicitors' Accounts Regulations apply shall, once in each practice year, unless he satisfies the Society that owing to the circumstances of his case it is unnecessary to do so, deliver to the registrar a certificate signed by an accountant (in this section referred to as an accountant's certificate) stating—
(a) that in compliance with this section and any regulations made thereunder the accountant has examined the books, accounts and documents of the solicitor or his firm for such accounting period as may be specified in the certificate,
(b) whether or not the accountant is satisfied, from his examination of the books, accounts and documents produced to him and from the information and explanations given to him, that during the said accounting period the solicitor or his firm has complied with the Solicitors' Accounts Regulations, and
(c) if the accountant is not satisfied as aforesaid, the matters in respect of which he is not so satisfied.
(2) The Society shall, with the concurrence of the President of the High Court, make regulations (in this section referred to as the Accountant's Certificate Regulations) prescribing—
(a) the qualifications to be held by an accountant by whom an accountant's certificate may be given,
(b) the nature and extent of the examination to be made by the accountant of the books and accounts of a solicitor or his firm and of any other relevant documents with a view to the signing of a certificate to be delivered by the solicitor under this section,
(c) the form of the accountant's certificate, and
(d) the evidence, if any, which shall satisfy the Society that the delivery of an accountant's certificate is unnecessary and the cases in which such evidence is or is not required.
(3) The Accountant's Certificate Regulations may include provision—
(a) permitting in such special circumstances as may be defined in the regulations a different accounting period from that specified in subsection (4) of this section, and
(b) regulating any matters of procedure or matters incidental, ancillary or supplemental to the provisions of this section.
(4) Subject to the Accountant's Certificate Regulations, the accounting period for the purposes of an accountant's certificate shall—
(a) begin at the expiry of the last preceding accounting period for which an accountant's certificate has been delivered,
(b) cover not less than twelve months,
(c) terminate not more than twelve months, or such less period as the Accountant's Certificate Regulations may prescribe, before the date of the delivery of the certificate to the registrar, and
(d) where possible, consistently with the foregoing paragraphs, correspond to a period or consecutive periods for which the accounts of the solicitor or his firm are ordinarily made up.
(5) A certificate under the hand of the registrar shall, until the contrary is proved, be evidence that a solicitor has or, as the case may be, has not delivered to the registrar an accountant's certificate or supplied any evidence required under this section or the Accountant's Certificate Regulations.
(6) Before a practising certificate is issued to a solicitor, he shall comply with the provisions of this section and the Accountant's Certificate Regulations and the registrar may withhold the issue of the practising certificate until the solicitor delivers to him an accountant's certificate in respect of the last preceding accounting period stating that the solicitor has during that period complied with the Solicitors' Accounts Regulations.
Provisions in relation to certain accounts kept by a solicitor at a bank.
32.—(1) Where—
(a) a solicitor is adjudicated a bankrupt or enters into a composition with his creditors or a deed of arrangement for the benefit of his creditors or dies insolvent, and
(b) the sum at the credit of the client account kept by the solicitor at a bank in accordance with regulations made under section 66 of the Principal Act, or, where two or more such accounts are kept by the solicitor, the total of the sums at the credit of the said accounts, is less than the total of the sums received by the solicitor in the course of his practice on behalf of his clients and remaining due by him to them,
then, notwithstanding any rule of law to the contrary, the sum at the credit of the said client account, or where the solicitor has kept two or more client accounts the total of the sums at the credit of those accounts, shall be divisible proportionately amongst the clients of the solicitor according to the respective sums received by the solicitor in the course of his practice on behalf of his clients and remaining due by him to them.
(2) For the purposes of this section no account shall be taken—
(a) of any account at a bank kept by the solicitor in his own name for a specified client,
(b) of sums received by the solicitor in the course of his practice on behalf of that client and remaining due by him to the client so far as represented by the sum in the bank account in the name of the solicitor for the client,
(c) of any account at a bank kept by the solicitor in his own name for moneys of any trust of which the sole trustee is the solicitor or the trustees are the solicitor with a partner, clerk or servant of his or with more than one of such persons, or
(d) of sums received by the solicitor in the course of his practice on behalf of that trust and remaining due by him to the trust so far as represented by the sum in the bank account in the name of the solicitor for the trust.
(3) Where the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy is appointed a trustee by the High Court under section 25 of the Trustee Act, 1893, in respect of any account or accounts kept by a solicitor at a bank in accordance with regulations made under section 68 of the Principal Act, there shall be payable in the Bankruptcy Office such court fees as are payable on a realisation account of the Official Assignee in a bankruptcy matter.
(4) For the purposes of this section any reference to an account at a bank shall include a reference to a deposit receipt at a bank.
Additional extraordinary members of the Council.
33.—(1) In this section—
“the Charter” means the Royal Charter dated the 5th day of April, 1852, whereby the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland was, by the name of “the Incorporated Society of Attorneys and Solicitors of Ireland”, incorporated;
“the Supplemental Charter” means the Royal Charter dated the 14th day of December, 1888, whereby the terms of the Charter were amended and extended.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Supplemental Charter, the Council may appoint as an additional extraordinary member of the Council any solicitor holding at the time of his appointment the office of President or member of the Council of the Dublin Solicitors' Bar Association.
(3) The number of additional extraordinary members shall not at any time be more than three.
(4) Every additional extraordinary member shall hold office for the period for which ordinary members of the Council, holding office at the time at which such additional extraordinary member is appointed, hold office.
(5) Additional extraordinary members shall have the same powers and duties during their terms of office as are given by the Charter and the Supplemental Charter to ordinary members of the Council, except that no extraordinary additional member shall be eligible to be President or Vice-President of the Council.
FIRST SCHEDULE
Provisions of the Principal Act Repealed
Part I
Provisions Repealed Absolutely
Provisions of the Principal Act | Extent of Repeal |
(1) | (2) |
Subsection (1) of section 3. | The definition of the expression “the Disciplinary Committee”. |
Subsection (4) of section 3. | The words “Supreme Court or”. |
Subsection (1) of section 6. | The words “Supreme Court or”. |
Section 13. | The whole section. |
Section 14. | Subsections (1) and (2). |
Sections 15 to 23. | The whole of each of the sections. |
Subsection (1) of section 49. | Paragraphs (b), (c) and (l). |
Subsection (1) of section 66. | Paragraph (f). |
Section 70. | The whole section. |
Section 80. | The whole section. |
Section 83. | The whole section. |
Part II
Provisions Repealed with Saving
Provisions of the Principal Act | Extent of Repeal |
(1) | (2) |
Section 69. | The whole section. |
The Fifth Schedule. | The whole of the Schedule. |
SECOND SCHEDULE
Provisions having Effect for the Purposes of Sections 8 (2) (a) and 19 (5) (a) of this Act
Sections 8 (2) (b) and 19 (5) (b).
The following provisions shall have effect for the purposes of the following provisions of this Act, namely, paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 8 and paragraph (a) of subsection (5) of section 19—
(a) the Society, on receipt of an application for the delivery of documents from a person claiming to be entitled to the possession or custody thereof, may either—
(i) investigate the claim of such person to the possession or custody of the documents, or
(ii) require such person to nominate a solicitor to take delivery of the documents on his behalf,
(b) the Society shall not be bound to investigate the claim of any person who applies for delivery of documents in the possession of the Society or to schedule or list such documents save at the expense of such person, and payment of such sum as the Society may require as a deposit in respect of the costs and expenses of the investigation, scheduling or listing shall be a condition precedent to the undertaking of the investigation or to the delivery of such documents to such person by the Society,
(c) the Society or the person making a deposit as aforesaid may, after the claim has been investigated, require the costs and expenses to which the deposit relates to be taxed by a Taxing Master of the High Court (subject to appeal to the High Court), and the amount found due on such taxation after allowing all just credits shall be a simple contract debt due by such person to the Society or by the Society to such person (as the case may be) and recoverable in any court of competent jurisdiction,
(d) if the Society, in lieu of investigating the claim of the person applying for delivery of documents, require such person to nominate a solicitor to take delivery thereof on his behalf, the Society may retain the documents until the nomination is duly made,
(e) on the nomination of a solicitor to take delivery of documents, the Society may deliver the documents to the solicitor in exchange for—
(i) a receipt for the documents,
(ii) a statutory declaration by the solicitor that, to the best of his knowledge and belief, the person on whose nomination he is acting is lawfully entitled to possession of the documents and that no other person has any prior title thereto or claim thereon by way of mortgage, charge, lien or otherwise,
(iii) a statutory declaration by the person applying for delivery of the documents to the same effect, and
(iv) an undertaking by the solicitor to return the documents to the Society if it should be ascertained, while the documents are in his possession, that his client was not so entitled at the date of the declaration,
and such receipt, declarations and undertaking shall constitute a full discharge to the Society for the documents,
(f) no action or claim shall lie against the Society by any person claiming to be entitled to documents or to any property to which they relate, or to any mortgage, charge or lien in respect of such documents or property, for any loss or injury occasioned by the taking of possession of the documents by the Society, or by the delivery of the documents by the Society in accordance with this Schedule,
(g) the Society shall have a lien over documents, for all costs and expenses, if any, incurred by the Society in connection therewith (including, where appropriate, the costs and expenses of investigating the claim of any person claiming to be entitled thereto).
THIRD SCHEDULE
Provisions in Relation to the Compensation Fund
1. In this Schedule “the Fund” means the Compensation Fund.
2. The Society may invest moneys of the Fund in securities in which trustees are authorised by law to invest trust funds.
3. The Society may borrow for the Fund and, for the purpose of giving security with respect to such borrowing, may charge investments of the Fund.
4. The Society may insure against any risk relating to the Fund.
5. The following shall be paid into the Fund—
(a) all annual contributions and additional contributions paid to the Society under section 22 of this Act,
(b) all interest, dividends and other income and accretions of capital arising from the investment of the Fund or any part thereof,
(c) the proceeds of any realisation of any investments of the Fund,
(d) all moneys borrowed for the purposes of the Fund,
(e) all moneys received by the Society under any insurance effected by the Society under paragraph 4 of this Schedule,
(f) all penalties recovered by the Society under subsection (3) of section 8 of this Act,
(g) all moneys received by the Society under subsection (8) of section 21 of this Act,
(h) any other moneys which may belong to or accrue to the Fund or be received by the Society in respect thereof.
6. The following shall be paid out of the Fund—
(a) costs, charges and expenses incurred in maintaining, protecting, administering and applying the Fund,
(b) premiums on any insurance effected by the Society under paragraph 4 of this Schedule,
(c) repayments of moneys borrowed by the Society for the Fund and payments of interest on such moneys,
(d) payments of any grants which the Society may make under section 21 of this Act,
(e) costs, charges and expenses incurred by the Society under Part III of this Act or under this Schedule,
(f) costs, charges and expenses incurred by the Society in enforcing compliance with the Solicitors' Accounts Regulations and ascertaining whether those Regulations have been complied with,
(g) other sums properly payable out of the Fund.