Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 15 Jun 1932

Vol. 42 No. 10

Eucharistic Congress (MIscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 1932—From the Senand.

A Message received from the Senand that it has inserted the following amendments with which the agreement of Dáil Eireann was desired:—

1. In Section 5 (1), page 4, line 2, after the word "person" the words "subject to compliance with such regulations (if any) as may be made by the Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána" inserted.

2. Before Section 5 (3) a new sub-section inserted as follows:

"(3) Every regulation made by the Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána under this section shall be published by him in such manner as he deems best for giving notice to the public".

3. Before Section 11 a new section inserted as follows:

"Prohibition of sale of intoxicating liquor during certain hours on the 26th June, 1932. — (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Act of 1927, or in any occasional licence, or in any order made under this Act, it shall not be lawful for any person in the Dublin Metropolitan Area or in any part of the county borough of Dublin which is outside the Dublin Metropolitan Area to sell or expose for sale any intoxicating liquor or to open or keep open any premises for the sale of intoxicating liquor or to permit any intoxicating liquor to be consumed on licensed premises on the 26th day of June, 1932, between the hours of two o'clock and six o'clock in the afternoon.

(2) Every person who shall sell or expose for sale any intoxicating liquor or open or keep open any premises for the sale of intoxicating liquor or permit any intoxicating liquor to be consumed on licensed premises in contravention of this section shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds."

Minister for Justice (Mr. Geoghegan)

The first and second amendments were made by the Senand at my request and may be taken together. The purpose of the amendments was to meet the demand that soem little precaution should be taken towards further ensuring the safety of the public travelling in carriages allowed to ply for hire on the streets of Dublin during this Congress period.

The third amendments meets a point raised in this House. Deputy Cosgrave alluded to it and it ensures by statute what I hoped and believed would be ensured by the voluntary action of the licensed trade itself, namely, that during the ordinary Sunday hours of opening here, in the county borough of Dublin of Sunday, 26th the licensed houses would remain closed — in other words, that the hours 2 to 5 in the county borough would be prohibited hours as they are prohibited hours elsewhere.

General Mulcahy

As regards the first two amendments, are we to understand that one of the principle intentions is that old vehicles brought to ply for hire in the city of Dublin will be required to run the gauntlet of some kind of vetting or inspection by the carriage inspector, or some person on his behalf, to ensure that mechanically defective vehicles will not be allowed to ply for hire?

Mr. Geoghegan

The intention of the amendment is as has been stated by Deputy Mulcahy,. It is not to be expected that a very detailed examination, such as would take place in the ordinary course, will take place in this instance but the Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána and those acting with him will do their best to see that the vehicles are tolerably safe.

Amendments agreed to.

Message to be sent to the Senand accordingly.