The Bar of Ireland Strategic Plan October-December 2015
Members of the Law Library now have remote access to the Westlaw IE core ser vice.
This repor t sets out a summar y of the initiatives under taken during October-December 2015 in the context of implementing our Strategic Plan, October 2015 – October 2018 It provides a summar y of the activities under taken in order to fulfil our mission:
“To provide leadership and representation on behalf of members of the independent Bar of Ireland, ensure the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct within the profession and to deliver valued ser vices for the benefit of members”
To achieve its mission, five key strategic objectives were identified in the Strategic Plan, within which activities would be prioritised and where resources are being invested:
1 Librar y ser vices
2 Membership engagement and benefits
3 Promotion, policy and public affairs
4. Education and training.
5 Regulation
In addition to the strategic objectives, and in order to ensure deliver y of the Plan, the capabilities of the organisation under five headings are being actively reviewed to ensure that we are running effective operations, including: governance; human resources; information and communications technology (ICT); proper ty; and, finance
This repor t, and those that will follow at the end of each quar ter, will provide an update on the implementation of our Strategic Plan These repor ts will provide a useful reference point for Council of The Bar of Ireland and the general membership to measure progress and ensure the accountability of the executive staff structure.
p y Director January 2016
Following a survey of members in April 2015, 15 primary areas of concern were identified where improvements were required This table sets out a shor t summary of initiatives under taken to address those concerns. Fur ther detail on some of these initiatives is contained elsewhere in this repor t.
Membership subscriptions and value for money
A new Member Services Directory was published in October 2015 setting out in detail the services available for members It will be reviewed and enhanced annually
Suppor t for young members
A new Young Bar Committee, chaired by Claire Hogan BL, was populated following vigorously contested elections The Committee is now in place, has set out an agenda of issues to address, and has already produced a series of briefing papers to inform discussion
Role of Council
A review of the governance of Council of The Bar of Ireland and its committees is underway.
Public relations
Good coverage has been achieved focussing on the role of The Bar in pro bono work, and showcasing the profession as a career
IT licence
A review of the IT licence and its structure in terms of invoicing to members is underway
Library service/databases
Universal access to Westlaw IE is now available to all members regardless of location, following negotiations with Thomson Reuters
Professional fees
Submissions have been prepared and are being made to a number of State agencies that engage the professional services of the Bar
Communications
The delivery of information to members has been overhauled through In Brief A new members' section of the website has been launched so that information is easily available and accessible
Fee recovery
Uptake of the new LawServ facility is gradually increasing ¤1 6 million is being pursued on behalf of members and a collection rate of just under 30% has been achieved so far
CPD
The number of CPD events and the promotion of such events significantly increased, with a total of 15 in the last term
IT service
A review of ICT services has been under taken, and recommendations on next steps will be made in a repor t in early 2016
Master–devil relationship
A review is underway to make improvements in the master–devil relationship, including the publication of comprehensive written guidelines and proposals for training
Suppor t for women
A pilot mentoring programme was launched in January 2016 If this is successful, it is hoped that it will be made available to more members A new working group has been formed, chaired by Grainne Larkin BL, to consider initiatives that might usefully be under taken to provide suppor t for women at the Bar
Cork Law Library facility
A new temporary member of staff was appointed to oversee the Cork Law Library facility in 2015, and there was very positive feedback
Financial services
Information on the financial services available for members is set out in the new Member Services Directory, published in October 2015
OVERVIEW OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE LAW LIBRARY
Summary of membership
The total number of members of the Law Library stood at 2,234 as at December 31, 2015 A total of 96 new members entered the Law Library in October 2015, representing a 9% decrease on the previous year’s intake The trend of new members entering the Library over the past three years has been of a steady decline, a reduction of 38% since 2012/2013 A total of 40% of new entrants were female, which is in keeping with the general gender distribution across the Law Library as a whole
While membership has been relatively stable since 2009/2010, nonetheless, a total of 685 members have left the Law Library over the past five years However, it is encouraging to note that the number leaving has been in decline since 2012, with a reduction of 6% in those leaving the Law Library between 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 The number of members availing of leave of absence remains at an annual average of 4%
There has been a 7% increase in the number of senior counsel since 2010/2011, rising from 305 to 329 However, the number of female senior counsel remains very low at 16% The number of females entering the Law Library has been steadily increasing, but men still outnumber women
The gender split of members in terms of years of practice is as follows:
Some 14% of Law Library membership is designated as ‘country members’. Country membership entitles a member to a 50% discount on their total membership subscription The overwhelming majority of members are Dublin-based practitioners
membership December 31, 2015 = 2,234
Law Library
Senior counsel 15%
Junior counsel 85%
Law Library membership female–male ratio
Female 39%
Male 61%
1. LIBRARY SERVICES
"To provide a librar y and information ser vice to facilitate total, full spectrum provision of relevant legal information and knowledge for member s of the Law Librar y in the most readily accessible and user friendly manner to enable them to deliver on their professional ser vices and exper tise to clients."
The aim of the Library Service is to provide timely access to relevant legal information by delivering to members services, information and exper tise through appropriate communications media
Ensuring optimal opening hours and support Five information points providing a full range of information services are available to members, including:
n Issue Desk in the Four Cour ts;
n New library in the Four Cour ts;
n Legal Research Centre in the Distillery Building (24/7, 365 days a year);
n Legal Research Centre in the CCJ; and,
n Legal Research Centre in the Cork Bar Library, Washington Street , Cork.
KEY STATISTICS
Ensuring an open and supportive experience for users of all library services, both within the physical and the virtual library…
In addition to our information points, library services are available on Barrister's Desktop regardless of time or location It provides:
n at-a-glance up-to-the-minute information tailored to the individual user;
n a smooth path of access to library subscription resources; and,
n new digitised content.
As well as access to 16 legal databases, including Westlaw IE since October 2015, remote access is provided to approximately 80 legal ebooks Our online catalogue provides a comprehensive index to library holdings A regular feature on Barrister's Desktop is a legal update that includes legislation, ar ticles and acquisitions received in the library
Members of the Law Librar y now have remote access to the Westlaw IE core ser vice.
Engaging with members to ensure that we are delivering services they need with regard to time, place and format
In order to ensure that the library provides services relevant to members, a user survey was carried out in November 2015 There were 279 respondents, of whom 88% were junior counsel and 12% senior counsel Some 86% were Dublin based and 14% were country members This response allows for meaningful information to be extracted from the data and the results of the survey will be shared with members following its analysis
Developing a programme of information and research skills education to suppor t members in their research needs…
Eight training events were held in the last term They consisted of: n one session of one-to-one training; n four training clinics; and, n three events during Library Ireland Week, which took place during the week of November 16, 2015
KEY STATISTICS
8 TRAINING EVENTS
19 HOURS OF TRAINING
34 MEMBERS TRAINED
Developing and reviewing our collection development and management policies to ensure that the scope of our collections and the allocation of funds are aligned with member needs
The Collection Development Policy is reviewed by the Professional Services Committee every two years, or more frequently if required, and was reviewed and approved by the Professional Services Committee in December 2015 It is available on Barrister's Desktop for members to consult The Policy sets out the library ’s acquisitions, purchasing and donations policy to ensure that the collections, whether print or electronic , meet members’ needs
Over 800 new items have been added to the collection since the beginning of October 2015 Each item is classified and catalogued before going on the shelves A list of new textbooks acquired by the library is compiled each month and is available on Barrister's Desktop for members to consult
KEY STATISTICS
23,868 ITEMS ISSUED
51,636 DESK TRANSACTIONS
800 ITEMS CATALOGUED
1,320 OVERDUE FINE LETTERS ISSUED
Negotiating optimal purchasing agreements with publishers
An agreement with Round Hall Publishing was finalised to allow members of the library remote access to the Westlaw IE core service
The wider agreement with Round Hall on print and other electronic products was also finalised at terms acceptable to both the publishers and Council of The Bar of Ireland
Reviewing the library management system
The process began to evaluate currently available library management systems A specification document was prepared and sent out to a number of vendors Vendors will visit the library in the New Year to showcase their systems Recommendations will be made regarding selection if appropriate This is a longer-term project for completion within the life of the current Strategy Plan.
Co-operating and collaborating with peer libraries in Ireland to maximise resource sharing
It is impor tant that libraries co-operate and collaborate to maximise access to information for their users In today ’s information-rich world, it is no longer possible to hold everything to meet all eventualities
The librarian initiated meetings with the librarians from UCD, Maynooth University, DCU, the Office of the Attorney General, the Judges’ Library and the King’s Inns to promote greater understanding and co-operation
Ensuring high quality staff with a range of competencies and skills
A key goal in the Library Services Annual Plan 2015-2016 is to implement the enhanced library staff organisational structure and to appoint new posts and replace existing posts as required Four posts have been filled in library services since October 2015 and four require replacement Additionally, a blended receptionist and library post was newly created in the CCJ and a blended CPD and library post was appointed in the Cork library on a temporary basis
"To
ensure that member s can work ef ficiently and ef fectively and derive clear benefit from our investment in infrastructure, facilities and ser vices "
Communicating and promoting member ser vices
A key goal of the last term was to clearly set out the range of services available to members This resulted in the compilation and publication of a new Member Services Directory It is intended that this publication will be updated and published a and that it will become a go-to reference point for members The information contained within the publication is also available on the new members' section of the website
Engaging with the Young Bar
n a review of challenges facing the Young Bar in District Cour t criminal work and getting paid for their services; and, n preparations for a conference on discovery in January 2016
Fostering camaraderie and collegiality within the profession… A
n t h e f i n a n c i a l y e a r 2 0 1 5 / 2 0 1 6
S u p p o r t i n g co r p o ra t e s o c i a l re s p o n s i b i l i t y ( C S R )
n i t i a t i v e s
We e n g a g e d i n a n u m b e r o f C S R a c t i v i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g :
n I r i s h Pe n a l Re fo r m Tr u s t – s p o n s o re d t h e I r i s h Pe n a l
Re fo r m Tr u s t B a i l S e m i n a r o n N o v e m b e r 1 1 , 2 0 1 5 ;
n S i m o n C o m m u n i t y – s u p p o r te d t h e H o u s e o f C a rd s
A p p e a l i n D e ce m b e r 2 0 1 5 ;
n L a w L i b ra r y To y A p p e a l – m e m b e r s d o n a te d g e n e ro u s l y to
t h e a n n u a l To y A p p e a l i n D e ce m b e r, w i t h m a n y to y s
co l l e c te d fo r d i s t r i b u t i o n to c h i l d re n i n n e e d ;
n G OA L Sy r i a E m e rg e n c y W i n te r A p p e a l – p a r t i c i p a te d i n
G OA L ' s Sy r i a E m e rg e n c y W i n te r A p p e a l b y co l l e c t i n g
A newly elected Young Bar Committee (YBC), chaired by Claire Hogan BL, was formed following an election process that saw two candidates from each of years 1-7 elected to represent their respective year group In total, 57 candidates ran, with 14 ultimately elected The Committee met on three occasions between October and December, with a number of working groups also meeting outside of this in order to progress the various projects arising from the YBC meetings
Some of the key projects being actively under taken by the YBC include:
n the launch of a new Young Members Hub, with practical and useful guidance for members on practice at the Bar on the members' section of the website, launched in December 2015; n a review is underway to look at oppor tunities to improve the master–devil relationship;
m e m b e r d o n a t i o n s o f w i n te r g o o d s , i n c l u d i n g b l a n ke t s
a n d w i n te r c l o t h e s ;
n C a p u c h i n D a y C e n t re – a C h r i s t m a s f u n d ra i s e r h e l d o n
D e ce m b e r 1 6 , 2 0 1 5 , w h i c h s a w t h e B a r C h o i r p ro v i d e i t s
a n n u a l c h o ra l s e r v i ce i n t h e L a w L i b ra r y, ra i s e d ¤ 1 4 , 0 0 0
fo r t h e C a p u c h i n D a y C e n t re ;
n Lo c a l S c h o o l s O u t re a c h – f a c i l i t a te d o v e r 4 0 s t u d e n t s
f ro m l o c a l D E I S s c h o o l s S t a n h o p e S t re e t S e n i o r G i r l s
3. PROMOTION, POLICY
AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS
"To proactively represent and promote member s of The Bar of Ireland to a wide stakeholder network including the general public , Government, business communit y, voluntar y sector and media, as independent and professional advocates ensuring access to justice and upholding the rule of law and to ensure The Bar of Ireland’s reputation as an exper t voice on legal mat ter s through the production of policy paper s and events on a range of relevant topics "
Improving communication platforms for internal communications…
In Brief
Member communications were streamlined with the introduction in October 2015 of a new weekly In Brief newsletter, to be emailed to all members every Monday during term time This comprehensive ezine is comprised of three sections:
n Bar News – to include repor ts from Council and a summary of current activities;
n What’s On – CPD, social and events, with a link to a live event calendar on the members' section of the website; and,
n Media Digest – a useful collation of relevant ar ticles from the previous seven days, to include weekend newspapers.
283 FOLLOWERS
T W I T T E R S TAT I S T I C S
143 TWEETS AVERAGE 3 RETWEETS PER DAY
3 NEW FOLLOWERS PER DAY
www lawlibrary ie
The website is central to both internal and external communications, and the homepage is regularly updated with ar ticles and photographs following key events, press statements, repor ts and submissions
Members' only section
The new members' section of the website went live in October 2015 and provides members with access to a range of useful information, including a live event calendar with internal and external events, linked to ar ticles through In Brief, CPD updates and employment oppor tunities as they arise
Most frequently visited areas of the members' section:
1 Event calendar and noticeboard;
2 Member email;
3 Member services;
4. Job vacancies;
5 Change password;
6 Member information;
7 Conferences and events; and,
8. Social.
Social media
Twitter
The Bar of Ireland Twitter account was launched in November 2015 and is regularly updated, including live tweeting from key events
YouTube
An animated video to adver tise the Transition Year Programme was commissioned to appeal to students and was posted to YouTube in November 2015
LinkedIn
The Bar of Ireland LinkedIn page is updated in the same manner as Twitter and the website to ensure consistency across social media platforms
Y O U T U B E S TAT I S T I C S
877 VIEWS
2,361 TWITTER IMPRESSIONS FROM THE TWEET HIGHLIGHTING THE TY VIDEO
95% OF VIEWERS BASED IN IRELAND
Promoting The Bar of Ireland brand both domestically and internationally
A working group comprised of both members and staff was set up in summer 2015 with the objective of clearly defining and clarifying the purpose, identity and brand of Council and the Bar itself As a result of the work of this group a refreshed identity, logo and mission statement were developed, and these were formally launched in October 2015 The rebrand included the following projects:
n rebranding of the public website;
n revision and rebrand of the marketing brochure 'Introduction to the Profession';
n rebrand of the CCJ pocket guide and development of a new Four Cour ts pocket guide;
n publication of a comprehensive Member Services Directory; n introduction of a branded honesty umbrella system; n design of a branded ezine template In Brief;
n design of other branded materials including a PowerPoint template, folders, lanyards, ID cards and pull-up stands; and, n development of member and staff brand guidelines
All members are encouraged to use the logo in all materials related to their individual practice as use of the logo demonstrates a commitment to the values of ‘Independence, Expertise and Integrity’, and adherence to the Code of Conduct for The Bar of Ireland.
VAS – Speaking for ourselves
In November 2015, The Bar of Ireland’s Voluntary Assistance Scheme (VAS) held an advocacy training workshop, 'Speaking for Ourselves', for 24 par ticipants from 16 charities and civic society groups
Addressing the workshop were barristers Michael Cush SC, Mary Rose Gear ty SC, Bairbre O’Neill BL, Turlough O’Donnell SC, Aoife Carroll BL and Michael Lynn SC Officials from the Houses of the Oireachtas, Brid Dunne and Alan Guidon, also presented on how to most effectively engage with Oireachtas committees The feedback from the par ticipants was overwhelmingly positive and it is hoped to run the workshop again in the near future
Participation in international forums…
Representatives of Council of The Bar of Ireland hosted and attended a number of key international conferences and events, including:
n UIA Council & Governing Body Meeting, hosted in Dublin in September 2015;
n Opening of New Legal Year in London in September 2015;
n IBA Annual Conference in Vienna in October 2015;
n UIA Annual Conference in Valencia in October 2015;
n British Irish Commercial Bar Association in Dubai in November 2015;
n Faculty of Advocates in Scotland in November 2015;
n Four Bars Bi-Annual Meeting, hosted in Dublin in December 2015; and,
n Opening of New Legal Year in Paris in December 2015.
European Law yer s Day 2015
European Law yers Day 2015, an initiative of the CCBE, was marked in conjunction with the Law Society with an event held in par tnership with Oxfam Ireland on December 10, 2015 In honour of World Human Rights Day, legal professionals across Europe focused on the subject of ‘Freedom of Speech’, with the event in Dublin featuring contributions and images from the ‘Make Them Visible’ campaign by Oxfam Ireland and the European Commission, which is aimed at raising awareness about the situation facing refugees and displaced people.
Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015
The Bar of Ireland is represented on the Regulation of Lobbying Act Advisor y Group 2015, which holds regular meetings to discuss and advise on the roll out of the legislation Having registered on the Register of Lobbyists, a return of any lobbying activity for the relevant period September 1 to December 31 will be submitted by the deadline of Januar y 21, 2016
In order to advise members on the requirements of the legislation, a CPD event was held in November 2015, with the Head of Lobbying Regulation, Sherr y Perreault, presenting a detailed over view
2,308 FOLLOWERS
217 CLICKS ON CONTENT POSTED
331 LIKES ON CONTENT POSTED REACH –
Submissions on behalf of the profession
42,828 IMPRESSIONS
240 PAGE VISITS
Four submissions are in preparation, and have been or will be submitted on behalf of Council of The Bar of Ireland:
1. Submission to the Depar tment of Children and Youth Affairs on the Guardian ad Litem System
2 Submission on Civil Legal Aid
3. Submission to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
4 Submission to the Depar tment of Justice on the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme
Engaging in public relations and media activities to raise the profile of The Bar of Ireland
A total of 12 press releases were issued during the period October 2015 to December 2015. The primary areas of coverage related to:
'Minister for Education and Skills launches The Bar of Ireland’s Transition Year Programme'
'President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins delivers the Council of The Bar of Ireland’s Daniel O’Connell lecture'
'Attack on judge condemned by The Council of The Bar of Ireland' Legal Services Regulation Bill
The estimated total audience reach from the October-December 2015 repor t is 2.76 million.
4. EDUCATION AND TRAINING
ATTENDEES EVENTS CPD 15
"To ensure that member s are aware of the impor tance, objective and requirements for obtaining Continuing Professional Development (CPD) throughout their career; to provide access for member s to a wide range of informative training and education events and resources; and to promote the profession to those who are considering embarking on a career as a practising barrister "
872
Increase in the volume of CPD events
During the period October-December 2015, a total of 15 CPD events took place with 872 attendees
In addition, four lectures were delivered:
n Hugh M Fitzpatrick Legal Bibliography Series, delivered by Ian O’Donnell, Professor of Criminology, UCD;
n Two lectures in the RIAM & The Bar of Ireland Lecture Series, delivered by Deborah Kelleher, Director of the RIAM; and, n Daniel O’Connell Memorial Lecture, delivered by the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins
Launch of TY Programme 2016
In November 2015, Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan TD launched The Bar of Ireland’s Transition Year Programme 2016, encouraging students from around the country, and from all backgrounds, to consider a career at the Bar. Speaking at the launch, Minister O’Sullivan made reference to the continuous improvement ethos employed by Council of The Bar of Ireland in order to create an enhanced offering around the TY Programme David Somerville, a senior cycle student from St Paul’s CBS, North Brunswick Street, Dublin 7 – a neighbouring DEIS school – participated in the first year of the Programme last year, and spoke about his positive experience of the Programme at the launch
Law & Women pilot mentoring programme launches
Law & Women (L&W) is a new joint initiative of Council of The Bar of Ireland and the Law Society of Ireland, and in collaboration with the Irish Women Lawyers Association (IWLA), to support women in legal practice Encompassing solicitors, barristers and staff of both the Bar and the Society, including in-house lawyers, L&W has been established to support women lawyers and promote equality L&W launched its pilot mentoring programme in January 2016 for barristers and solicitors at various stages of their careers, which saw 11 mentees matched with mentors
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins receives the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Medal from Chairman of Council of the Bar of Ireland David Barniville SC
5. REGULATION
"To enhance and advance regulation of barrister s for the benefit of the public and ensure compliance with the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland in the context of the principles of bet ter regulation for the benefit of all "
The Professional Practice Committee (PPC) is the Committee with responsibility for monitoring all matters concerning proper professional practice of barristers The majority of the work of the PPC consists of requests for guidance and rulings on particular issues by members Some of the queries require substantial investigation and research to arrive at a ruling Between October 2015 and December 2015, the PPC dealt with an agenda of 33 items, which is broken down in the graphic
The PPC also issued guidance last term in relation to training of witnesses CPD events are being prepared to provide more detailed explanation for members
Matters considered under the Code of Conduct… Barristers’ independence and being instructed by a solicitor when acting in a professional capacity were the issues of most concern to members Rule 4 1, being instructed by a solicitor, accounted for 15% of queries Rules 2 1 and 2 5 concerning barristers’ independence, when taken together, also account for 15% of queries before the PPC
The PPC also had to consider a range of queries concerning the relations between barrister and client Rule 3 of the Code of Conduct governs the relations between barrister and client Instances of Rule 3 account for 36% of the Committee’s work Seven rules were considered only once and these, including sub-sections of Rule 3, have been grouped together This includes –of significance to uphold standards in the profession and the work of the PPC – Rule B9 of the Disciplinary Code for The Bar of Ireland, which appears on the char t for the first time (Rules: 3.3, 3.7(a), 3 7(b), 3 12, 3 13(a), 9 2, B9 [Disciplinary Code for the Bar of Ireland]) Rule 1 5 was also invoked by the Committee, whereby investigations were initiated following notification of matters of serious concern to the PPC .
CPD compliance
A case for non-compliance with the rules of the CPD scheme for the period 2012/2013 was successfully prosecuted before the Barristers Professional Conduct Tribunal Following a series of communications with members in relation to compliance with CPD requirements for the period 2013/2014, a total of nine members failed to comply with CPD requirements for this period and were referred by the PPC to the Barristers Professional Conduct Tribunal in December 2015 Members were required to submit their CPD card for the period 2014/2015 by November 13, 2015 To date, 52% of members have submitted their CPD card
Agenda items of the Professional Practice Committee: October 2015 to December 2015
Staff appointment
A new Director of Regulation, Brian O’Driscoll, has been appointed and took up his position in January 2016 The primary role of the Director of Regulation will be to develop and implement a Regulation Strategy in conjunction with the PPC, provide secretariat support to the PPC, facilitate the provision of guidance and advice to members on all aspects of compliance with the Code of Conduct and professional regulatory legislation, and manage the processing of queries and complaints received in line with the Code of Conduct, as well as queries relating to CPD requirements, professional indemnity insurance, ethics and practice standards
Legal Services Regulation Bill passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas
Following its initial presentation to Dáil Éireann on October 9, 2011, the Legal Services Regulation Bill was finally passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas and signed into law by the President over the Christmas period A number of interactions took place between representatives of Council of The Bar of Ireland to assist the Department of Justice on various matters arising from the Bill during the last term
A series of CPD events is being arranged to assist members in understanding various aspects of the new legislative requirements There will be ongoing interactions with the new Authority, when established, which will now form part of the continued workload for representatives of Council and the staff of The Bar of Ireland
Governance is an important part of the oversight and operation of the organisation
During the period October 2015 to December 2015, a total of 55 Council and committee meetings took place
A working group of members has been established to review the Constitution of the General Council of The Bar of Ireland to ensure that the governance oversight of the organisation through both the composition of Council and the committee structure is fit for purpose The aim is to provide for a cost-effective governance model with clearly defined accountabilities in order to deliver on this Strategic Plan and the stated objectives.
Ensuring an appropriate staff structure to deliver on the Strategic Plan
The delivery of the Strategic Plan is dependent on having sufficient appropriately skilled staff that understand and are committed to achieving the objectives of the organisation Working with each department, the first reviews of structure and skills have enabled changes to be implemented in some key positions.
Three key roles in the strategic plan of Library & Information Services were filled
Recruitment for the post of Assistant Librarian (Information & Access Services) and of Library Assistants has commenced. A new Director of Regulation was recruited and took up this important post in January 2016 The posts of Policy & Research Assistant and Communications & Events Executive were advertised in December 2015
The services to members in the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ) were enhanced by the appointment of a new role of Library & Member Services Co-ordinator The review of the overall staff structure in the context of the strategic objectives is ongoing The current staffing level is under plan and will be addressed in the review
n d to b e t te r u n d e r s t a n d t h e n e e d s o f o u r i n d i v i d u a l
m e m b e r s a n d o u r o rg a n i s a t i o n T h e s e r v i ce s o f a n I T co n s u l t a n t
w e re e n g a g e d l a s t te r m a n d a re p o r t i s e x p e c te d a t t h e e n d o f
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 6 . A ke y g o a l i s to w o r k to w a rd s i m p ro v e m e n t i n t h e
m a n a g e m e n t a n d i n te g ra t i o n o f i n fo r m a t i o n s y s te m s a n d b u s i n e s s i n te l l i g e n ce T h e a c h i e v e m e n t o f p ro g re s s o n t h i s f ro n t i s
f u n d a m e n t a l to t h e e f fe c t i v e o p e ra t i o n o f a l l o t h e r s e c t i o n s o f t h e
o rg a n i s a t i o n .
P ro p e r t y
A n e e d to ce n t ra l i s e t h e s t a f f i n g o p e ra t i o n w a s i d e n t i f i e d i n
Fe b r u a r y 2 0 1 5 , a p p ro v e d b y C o u n c i l i n J u n e 2 0
s p re a d a c ro s s t h re e s e p a ra te b u i l d i n g s T h e fo l l o w i n g w e re t h e m a i n re a s o n s fo r t h e d e c i s i o n to ce n t ra l i s e t h e s t a f f i n g o p e ra t i o n :
H
n ensure a seamless service delivery across the organisation; n achieve efficiencies in service delivery; n improve communications across the staffing structure; n provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for members to access staff/services; and, n release a large number of rentable offices occupied by staff that can be let to members.
An initial feasibility study was carried out and three design consultants were asked to submit proposals based on a review of the proper ties. A proposal, including a financial assessment, was presented to Council of The Bar of Ireland at its meeting in June 2015 The proposal was approved and the Distillery option selected
Following management approval of the design proposal, a tender process to select a main contractor was carried out, which gave rise to three companies tendering for the project
There is additional income generation and service improvement potential arising from the space vacated in Church Street and in the Four Cour ts A Proper ty Working Group has now been established to consider the best use of these vacant spaces, future requirements of members, management of our proper ty por tfolio, and the creation of a proper ty strategy.
Review of financial per formance
In the first quar ter of the 2015/2016 legal year, the consolidated net surplus recorded for Council of The Bar of Ireland and related entities is ¤637k This is 7 2% higher than Q1 last year and 20% ahead of budget
Q1 subscription income, at ¤2 2m, is on target, with stable membership numbers comparable to last year Subscription
€ 6 3 7 K NET SURPLUS 20% AHEAD OF BUDGET Q 1 S U B S C R I P T I O N I N C O M E €2.2M ON TARGET
collections at ¤3 5m were slightly ahead of expectation, with 20% of members availing of the 3% early settlement discount and paying full-year subscriptions in October 2015 In recent years, compliance with subscription payments has been strong, and this impor tant and positive trend continued in Q1 2015/2016 Operating expenditure, at ¤3 15m, is 3 3% less than budget, with the savings contributing to the increased surplus
A notable positive variance relates to Law Library Proper ties, where the net surplus of ¤310k, which accounts for 49% of the total consolidated surplus, exceeded budget Increased room occupancy and lower levels of expenditure have contributed to this. Surpluses in Law Library Proper ties are used to reduce the significant accumulated banking debt burden
Debt refinancing
Following a competitive tendering process, Law Library Proper ties Ltd has reached agreement to refinance the proper ty debt with AIB The new loan, for ¤25m, is expected be in place in January 2016, and will provide for a longer period of seven years, with improved terms and conditions, noting especially a reduction in the cost of interest margin
Historically, KBC provided this facility and the current arrangement is due to expire on January 31, 2016. This facility was refinanced in January 2013, but KBC would only provide a three-year facility at that time The amount of borrowings refinanced in January 2013 was ¤29m, and the company has reduced this by ¤4m over the last three years
Reserve policy
As of December 31, 2015, the organisation holds reserves in excess of the stated policy to retain six months' income on deposit
