The Minister for Justice asked me to represent him in connection with this Bill. When the Constitution was enacted in 1922 the Adaptation of Enactments Bill was passed. That measure enabled us to adapt British enactments, but by some oversight enactments of the old Irish Parliament, pre-Union enactments, were omitted. On several occasions difficulty has arisen because that legislation was found not to exist. Section 2 of the Bill that is now before the Section is really a reproduction of Section 12 (1); Section 3 is a reproduction of Section 16, and Section 4 is a reproduction of Section 19 of the Adaptation of Enactments Act passed in 1922, with the proviso that the measure applies to the enactments of the old Irish Parliament. There are various minor modifications necessary from time to time in order to enable British statutes to have the force of law here. In certain cases we have to substitute the Chief Justice of Saorstát Eireann for the Lord Chief Justice and there are other modifications of that sort. This measure will give power in relation to the pre-Union enactments of the old Irish Parliament.
Question agreed to. Committee Stage fixed for Thursday, 23rd July.