In asking leave to introduce this Bill, I am sure it will be within the recollection of Deputies that the Minister for Industry and Commerce introduced a Bill in February last providing for the continuance of charges in statutory undertakings. The Bill was to be effective to the 31st December next. There was little notice of it, as it was rather urgent that it should be passed at the time. Some Deputies felt, in view of that urgency and the short time that the Dáil had to consider it, that it should only be made operative to the 31st May next, with a view to the introduction of a further Bill before the expiration of that period. I move now for permission to have printed and circulated a Bill "to authorise certain statutory undertakings in Saorstát Eireann to continue tempo rarily after the expiration of the Statutory Undertakings (Continuance of Charges) Act, 1923, certain increases in the statutory charges made by such undertakings, and for other purposes connected therewith."
THE STATUTORY UNDERTAKINGS (CONTINUANCE OF CHARGES) (No. 2) BILL, 1923—FIRST STAGE.
I beg to second the motion.
I imagine a measure of this kind is not amenable to debate, and I do not rise for that purpose, but I do suggest that it might serve a useful purpose if we had the general scope of the Bill somewhat more fully indicated than has been indicated by the Minister already.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
Inasmuch as the Bill has already been before the Dáil, and had a certain amount of discussion, I did not think it necessary, and I do not think it necessary, further to enlarge upon its scope.
Motion put: "That leave be granted to introduce the Bill."
Agreed.
Ordered for Second Reading, Tuesday, April 17th.