I move that the Committee agree with the 19 amendments to this Bill which have been made by the Seanad. They are, in the main, drafting amendments. In amendment 7, as set out on the Order Paper, portion of the last line of sub-section (1) should read "as it thinks proper." The use of "he" is a printer's error, but it is rather important as the reference in the amendment, as printed, would be to the Minister, whereas it should be to the Consultative Council. The 19 amendments are as follows:—
1. In Section 1 the words "and also that the bull was on that day a bull to which this Act applies" added at the end of sub-section (3).
2. In section 1 (4), before paragraph (b), a new paragraph inserted as follows:—
"(b) a person to whom the bull has been lent, hired or leased for a period exceeding one month, and"
3. In Section 1 (4), paragraphs (b) and (c) deleted and the following paragraph substituted therefor:—
"(c) the owner or the person having the charge or management of the lands or premises on which the bull was when the offence was alleged to have been committed, unless such owner or person proves that the bull was then on the said lands without his knowledge or connivance."
4. In Section 3, sub-section (2) deleted.
5. In Section 3 (3), line 20, the word "section" deleted and the word "Act" substituted therefor.
6. In Section 4, sub-section (2) deleted.
7. Before Section 5 a new Section 5 inserted as follows:—
(1) The Minister may by regulations made under this Act declare that any particular breed or breeds or any particular type or types of bull is or are unsuitable for any specified area or areas, but the Minister shall not make, revoke or vary any such regulation until he has consulted the consultative council established under this Act in regard thereto, and the Minister, in the making, revoking or varying any such regulation shall take into consideration any advice in regard thereto given to him by the said council after making such (if any) inquiries and investigations as it thinks proper.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this section the Minister may, if he thinks fit so to do, refuse to grant a licence under this Act in respect of a bull kept or proposed to be kept in an area specified in such regulations if the bull is of a breed or of a type declared by such regulations to be unsuitable for that area.
(3) The Minister may, subject to the provisions of this section, at any time, if he thinks fit so to do, suspend or revoke a licence granted by him under this Act if the bull to which such licence relates is brought into or kept in an area specified in any such regulations and is of a breed or of a type declared by such regulations to be unsuitable for that area.
(4) The Minister shall not under this section refuse, revoke or suspend a licence in respect of a bull which is entered or eligible for entry in a prescribed herd book, and is used or intended to be used exclusively for the service of cows of the same breed as the bull."
8. In Section 5 (2), after the word "fails" in line 62, the words "without just cause or excuse" inserted.
9. In Section 5 (3), page 4, the word "any" deleted in line 2 and the word "the" substituted therefor, and the words "for the time being" added at the end of the sub-section.
10. In Section 8 (4) after the word "permit" in line 64, the following words inserted "and such personal representative shall during such period or until such determination (as the case may be) be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be the holder of such licence or permit."
11. In Section 10 (1), line 12, the words "and for the time being in force" deleted.
12. In Section 12 (1), lines 63-64, the words "at his own option any one of the following things" deleted and the words "such one of the following things as the Minister shall specify in the notice" substituted therefor.
13. In Section 12 the following words added at the end of sub-section (2) "and the cost of such slaughter or castration shall be paid by the owner of the bull to the Minister on demand and may be recovered by the Minister on demand from such owner as a civil debt."
14. In Section 12, sub-section (3) deleted.
15. In Section 14 (1), paragraph (d), lines 53-55 deleted and the following substituted therefor:—
"(d) serves under this Act either a notice requiring that a permit to be taken out in respect of a bull or a notice requiring that a bull be slaughtered or a notice requiring that a bull be castrated."
16. In Section 14 (4), page 7, after the word "licence," line 9, the words "or permit in lieu of such transfer" inserted.
17. In Section 15 (2), after the word "persons," line 42, the following words inserted: "(being persons having experience or special knowledge in relation to the matters on which the council may give advice or assistance to the Minister").
18. In Section 20 the following words added at the end of sub-section (1)
"save that—
(a) this Act shall not apply to a bull kept solely for experimental purposes under and in accordance with the written authority of the Minister, and
(b) in the case of a bull lawfully imported into Saorstát Eireann after it has attained the prescribed age and in respect of which the prescribed conditions are complied with, this Act shall not apply to the bull until the expiration of the prescribed period after its importation into Saorstát Eireann."
19. In Section 23 the figures "1924," line 50, deleted and the figures "1925" substituted therefor.