As far as I know, there is no occasion to meet in the near future. I understand that the Dáil is adjourning. I have received just now a letter from the Minister for Justice which I would like to read to the Seanad. The letter reads as follows:—
Department of Justice,
Dublin, 17th Dec., 1925.
Courts of Justice Bill, 1925.
A Dhuine Uasail,
With reference to the above Bill, which has passed through all its stages in the Dáil and was transmitted to the Seanad yesterday, I desire to explain that it is of paramount importance that it should become law before the 19th January, 1926, as will appear clear from the following circumstances.
Under the provisions of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924, there are at present 39 persons in custody, charged with very serious offences, awaiting trial by a Court of the High Court Circuit. Before the trial of those persons by a Court of the High Court Circuit could properly proceed, certain rules would require to be made, but when the Judges were asked by me to draft such rules they decided in view of experience gained since the 1924 Act was passed that it would be better to abolish the High Court Circuit, and to leave all criminal trials by the High Court to the Central Criminal Court. The Chief Justice recommended that a Bill should be introduced at once to abolish the High Court Circuit and to make provision for the trial by the Central Criminal Court of accused persons who have been returned for trial to a Court of the High Court Circuit. The Courts of Justice Bill, 1925, was accordingly drafted, introduced and passed by the Dáil as quickly as circumstances permitted.
The next sitting of the Central Criminal Court has been fixed for the 19th January and succeeding days. It is desirable that all pending cases awaiting trial by the High Court should be brought before that sitting, but this cannot be done unless the present Bill becomes law before the 19th January. It will be observed in Section 6 that the words used are "the sitting of the Central Criminal Court next ensuing after the passing of this Act." To achieve what is desired it will be clear that the Bill must, in fact, be law before the 19th January, so that the sitting on the 19th January could be said to be the one next ensuing after the passing of the Act. As seven days must elapse after the passing of a Bill by both Houses of the Oireachtas before it can be presented for the assent, it would be necessary that the Courts of Justice Bill should have been passed by both Houses not later than the 10th January. In these circumstances, I assume that in the interests of the persons in custody, the Seanad will be prepared to arrange its sittings to permit of the Bill being law in the time indicated.
Mise, le meas agat,
(Signed) C. O hUIGIN,
Aire Dlí agus Cirt.
The Chairman (or Vice-Chairman), An Seanad.
We have to consider that this Bill could not be taken very speedily. I would not take on myself the responsibility of asking you to go through this Bill, but I think, as the Minister for Justice states, there are strong reasons for the Seanad deciding to meet in order to pass this Bill into law early in the new year. The Minister for Justice states that it should be passed into law on the 10th January. It will therefore be necessary to meet early in January.