Request for clarification from Law Society on Plain Packaging

Arising from the Law Society’s presentation to the Oireachtas Joint Commission on Health and Children regarding proposed plain packaging for Tobacco products, a number of solicitors have written to the President of the Law Society, the Director General and the IP Committee.

Amongst other issues, we have requested that the following questions be addressed.

1. whether the role and functions of committees (other than those performing regulatory functions) have been specified by the Society;
2. whether the Society has a policy on lobbying by and making submissions in the name of the Society and its committees in relation to matters of policy;
3. what the policy of the Society and its committees is in relation to conflicts and declarations of interest when making submissions on behalf of the Society;
4. on what basis the views of the IP Committee were represented as having been endorsed by the Society and its members as a whole; and
5. in the apparent absence of such an endorsement, confirmation that the Society will clarify immediately to the Oireachtas Committee that the views expressed in submissions made to date are those of the IP Committee alone.

In the absence of a satisfactory response, particularly in relation to items 4 and 5, by Wednesday 19 February 2014 we intend to write to the Oireachtas Committee disassociating ourselves from the submissions made.