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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Jul 1958

Vol. 170 No. 4

Committee on Finance. - Vote 21—Miscellaneous Expenses.

I move:—

That a sum not exceeding £18,480 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1959, for certain Miscellaneous Expenses, including certain Grants-in-Aid, Compensation for Personal Injuries and Compensation and other Payments in connection with Injuries to Property (No. 24 of 1941).

I think this is the correct Estimate on which to raise a matter about which I gave the Minister notice some months ago. The Acquisition of Land Act provides that in certain circumstances matters may be submitted to a panel of arbitrators. The practice has been for many years to have only one arbitrator. I do not want anything I may say to imply that I have anything against that arbitrator; I have not. I am thinking of this purely from the point of view of the system. How can only one person be a panel? I suggest the appointment of one official arbitrator alone, when the Act says that a panel of arbitrators must be appointed, is not in accordance with the Act. I do not know whether the present position is that the present official arbitrator is run off his feet. However, I know of one case where for six months a person has been anxious that an arbitration in relation to the value of land acquired should come for hearing, but there has been no opportunity of that coming for hearing. If you have only one person, where the wording of the Act is "a panel of arbitrators", that is not a panel because the word "panel" implies a choice.

I think the Deputy raised this question before.

He will be glad to hear that the Attorney-General agrees with him, and we shall have to make that right.

That will be done as soon as may be?

It will.

Vote put and agreed to.
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