I move amendment No. 1:
Before section 2 to insert the following new section:—
2.—(1) Unless previously terminated under subsection (2) of this section, this Act shall continue in force until 31st March, 1985 and shall then expire, unless the Oireachtas otherwise determines.
(2) The Minister may by order declare that this Act shall expire on a specified date, being earlier than 31st March, 1985 and in that case this Act shall expire accordingly.
We have put down this amendment because we want to ensure that these extraordinary provisions, which we acknowledge are necessary perhaps in the circumstances we are in now, will not be continued one day beyond the time which would be appropriate. We have indicated that here we are getting legislation which is going to have a permanent effect. This Bill is called the State Financial Transactions (Special Provisions) Bill. I can summarise the purpose of our amendment by saying that we want to bring about the effect that it will be a temporary provisions Bill because that is what is required. We cannot subscribe to the position which will have this type of legislation permanently on the Statute Book.
Let me refer to the Minister's statement introducing Second Stage when he said:
This need not necessarily be due to a strike but could be due to any other factor e.g. breakdown in a computer facility. It is therefore desirable in the widest sense that this Bill be passed.