Solicitors Act, 1954

Education and examinations.

40.—(1) The Society may—

(a) provide educational facilities, including lectures, classes and other teaching,

(b) hold examinations,

(c) appoint professors, lecturers and examiners.

(2) Provision may be made by regulations for ascertaining—

(a) the fitness and capacity of solicitors proposing to take apprentices to teach such apprentices,

(b) the progress made by apprentices in acquiring knowledge of the theory and practice of the law.

(3) Regulations for the purposes of this section shall provide—

(a) for the holding by the Society at least once in every year of—

(i) a first examination in the Irish language, that is to say, an examination in that language of persons seeking to be bound under indentures of apprenticeship, and

(ii) a second examination in the Irish language, that is to say, an examination in that language of persons seeking to be admitted as solicitors,

(b) for both of such examinations being obligatory except for persons who were over the age of fifteen years on the 1st day of October, 1929,

(c) for such second examination being so conducted and of such nature as to secure that persons who pass it have a competent knowledge of the Irish language, that is to say, such a degree of oral and written proficiency in the use of the language as is sufficient to enable a solicitor efficiently to receive instructions, to advise clients, to examine witnesses and to follow proceedings in the Irish language,

(d) for requiring that such second examination shall be passed within two years before the expiration of the term of apprenticeship or within two years before admission as a solicitor.

(4) Regulations for the purposes of this section shall provide for the holding by the Society at least once in every year of—

(a) a preliminary examination, that is to say, an examination of persons seeking to be bound under indentures of apprenticeship, and

(b) a final examination, that is to say, an examination of persons seeking to be admitted as solicitors, which may be divided, if the Society so think fit, into two or more parts.

(5) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing subsections, regulations for the purposes of this section may provide for—

(a) the holding by the Society, in addition to the examinations mentioned in the foregoing subsections, of other examinations to ascertain the progress of apprentices and of persons seeking to be admitted as solicitors,

(b) restricting the taking of apprentices to solicitors whose fitness and capacity to teach apprentices is satisfactory,

(c) attendance of apprentices or intending apprentices at lectures, classes, debates and other teaching or training, whether provided by the Society or otherwise, and the course of study and training to be followed by those persons,

(d) times when candidates will be eligible to take examinations,

(e) subjects for and the mode of conducting examinations,

(f) standards of efficiency to be obtained at examinations,

(g) times, places and notices of examinations,

(h) certificates of having passed examinations,

(i) the control and discipline of apprentices,

(j) the exemption, subject to this Act, from examinations in whole or in part of persons who produce satisfactory evidence that they have acquired special qualifications.

(6) A person shall not be appointed under this section as examiner in the Irish language save with the approval of the Minister for Education.