This is really a very minor Bill, although it looks somewhat imposing. Its main purpose is to rectify what was quite clearly a mistake in the Shannon Electricity Act, 1925. That Act gave the Minister for Industry and Commerce very wide powers for the acquisition of land and premises, fishing rights, water rights, way-leaves, easements, etc., and also empowered him to restrict or interfere with any easement, way-leave, water right, fishing right or other right or with any public or private roadway, bridge, canal, artificial waterway or artificial water-course. Reading the Bill, one would think that the Minister was fully empowered to do everything, but he was not empowered to interfere with lands or premises. It was quite clearly an oversight, but he did, in fact, interfere with them as if he had the power to do so and, presumably, under the impression that he had power, and it was only when the task fell to me of paying compensation for that interference that it was discovered that, in fact, there was no power to do this and, consequently, no power to pay compensation. The amendments now proposed in this Bill will permit of the payment of compensation to persons whose lands and premises were interfered with. The interference took place a long time ago, and it was all in connection with the construction of the scheme and not with the operation of the scheme. The persons affected have been waiting for their money for a considerable time, and I am anxious that they should be paid as rapidly as possible and, consequently, this defect in the Bill should be rectified.
Shannon Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 1933—Second Stage.
Question put: "That the Bill be read a Second Time."
I wish the Minister had included some of us who lost our fishing rights down there. There are no salmon in the river now.
Yes; we will have a Bill about that, too.
Question put and agreed to.
Committee Stage fixed for Wednesday, 26th July, 1933.
The Seanad adjourned at 7.20 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 26th July, 1933.