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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 Oct 1980

Vol. 323 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Reprinting of Statutes .

26.

asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider the reprinting of the statutes from the foundation of the State printing only those still on the Statute Book and excluding those now out of force or those which were in existence prior to being amended, in line with the system which operates in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement on his proposals in this matter.

27.

asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that the volumes of statutes from 1922 to 1969 are not generally available, that the only ones apparently available are those of the early 1970s and that these are only available in loose-leaf form; and if, in view of the fact that such volumes should be available from the point of view of public interest and the discharge by the legal profession of their responsibilities, he will state the steps he proposes to take to improve the situation.

: With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 27 together.

The bound volumes of the Acts of the Oireachtas for all of the years 1922 to 1973 are out of print. The volumes for the years 1974 to 1976 are available from the Government Publications Sales Office, but volumes for the years subsequent to 1976 have not yet been printed. However, copies of all Acts of the Oireachtas are available in individual form from the Sales Office.

The position in relation to the out of print volumes is at present under examination by my Department in conjunction with the Stationery Office and I am confident that an improvement in the present position will be possible.

As regards the reprinting of revised statutes from the foundation of the State in, presumably, volume form, this proposal is not considered warranted by the Attorney General's office in view of the existence of the Index to the Statutes which lists all statutes from 1922 and indicates if they have been affected by subsequent legislation and, if so, gives the affecting Act and section. However, work on a Statute Law Revision Bill — which will repeal all pre-1922 legislation which is no longer of any effect — and a comprehensive index of all the statutes which at any time applied in the State is in progress. This work would enable revised statutes, showing not only post-1922 legislation but all the statute law in force in the State, to be produced.

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