The first item on the agenda is the election of a chairman. May I have nominations please?
Election of Chairman.
Clerk to the Committee
I nominate Deputy Fleming.
Clerk to the Committee
As there are no other nominations, I call Deputy Fleming to take the Chair.
Deputy Fleming took the Chair.
As members have been notified the Standing Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills meets today to consider the Capital Acquisitions Tax (Consolidation) Bill 2002. This Bill consolidates enactments relating to capital acquisitions tax and has been so certified by the Attorney General. No new law has been included in the Bill nor is it permissible to introduce new law by way of amendment on Committee Stage. The joint committee has been empowered by orders of the Dáil and Seanad passed on Tuesday, 4 February, and Wednesday, 5 February 2003, to dispose of more than one section by any one question and if m members are agreeable I propose to use this power so the Bill can be processed as efficiently as possible. May I have agreement that where no amendments are tabled to individual sections we can take them in groups so as to assist the efficient passage of the Bill? Is that agreed? Agreed.
Accordingly, I suggest that only sections to which amendments have been tabled will be discussed individually otherwise we will dispose of sections in groups as they relate to each part of the Bill or the part where no chapter exists. A more detailed note on these arrangements has been circulated to members with the suggested groupings of amendments tabled. Is the proposal agreed? Agreed.