Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 14 Feb 1935

Vol. 54 No. 12

In Committee. - Public Dance Halls Bill, 1934—From the Seanad.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Ruttledge)

I move that the Committee agree with the Seanad amendments:—

1. Section 1. The words "in which members of the public actively participate" deleted in lines 17-18 and the following words substituted therefor, "which is open to the public and in which persons present are entitled to participate actively."

2. New section. Before Section 15 a new section inserted as follows:—

15.—This Act shall not apply in relation to public dancing carried on in any recreation room managed or conducted under the authority of the Minister for Defence or of the Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána.

General Mulcahy

Will the Minister tell us what amendment No. 2 means and what the effect of it will be?

Mr. Ruttledge

It exempts from the scope of the Bill recreation rooms conducted under the Minister for Defence or under the Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána. I understand that under the Defence Forces Bill to be introduced here, provision is to be made to exempt such halls—that is, recreation halls. As regards the halls that will be affected by the proposal to exempt these conducted under the Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána, there is only one hall which is used as a recreation hall in the Depot for ceilidhthe and so on.

General Mulcahy

Will the Minister say if the one hall that is managed and conducted by the Commissioner of the Gárda Síochána is available for public hiring or if it is used in any way for public dancing at which a charge is made?

Mr. Ruttledge

No.

General Mulcahy

Can the Minister say how many recreation rooms managed and conducted under the Minister for Defence, are concerned? The Minister for Defence has, I think, authority at the present time for the purpose of building halls for the new Volunteer Force or for hiring halls for that force. Can the Minister say in what way the halls that are hired completely or for particular days in this way, or halls that are actually in the possession of the Minister for Defence, are affected by this amendment?

Mr. Ruttledge

I cannot give the Deputy any idea of the number of halls that would be affected in the future, but the proposal means that any halls under the control of the Minister for Defence would be exempted.

General Mulcahy

Even though these halls are rented to other people for the purpose of public dances?

Mr. Ruttledge

While under the control of the Minister for Defence only.

General Mulcahy

I think if a hall is owned by the Minister for Defence in any particular area and is rented for a public dance to some society or other it is still under the control of the Minister for Defence.

Mr. Ruttledge

I do not suggest that.

General Mulcahy

Can the Minister tell us that the inclusion of this will not bring about a position in which halls held, say, in connection with Volunteer Force activities by the Minister for Defence when used by other bodies for public dancing will not be subject to the Act?

Mr. Ruttledge

I would not think that would be desirable, and that is not the intention.

Question put and agreed to.

Agreement with Seanad Amendments reported.

Report agreed to.

Ordered: That a Message be sent to the Seanad accordingly.