This Bill requires to be enacted before the end of the present year. It continues for another year the statutes which appear in Parts I and II of the Schedule of the Expiring Laws Act of 1937. I might say in connection with the Bill that permanent legislation is in draft to deal with poor law matters in the State outside the City and County of Dublin. That when enacted will make unnecessary the annual renewal of the Local Government (Temporary Provisions) Act of 1923. The Poor Relief (Dublin) Act, 1929, must be continued for the present. A permanent measure to amend the Local Authorities (Combined Purchasing) Act of 1925 is also in draft. Consideration has been given to the desirability of enacting legislation to give permanence to the Acts hitherto continued by means of the Expiring Laws Act. It is not, however, considered necessary to make permanent any of the Acts in the Schedule to the Bill, with the exception of the Acts to which I have already referred.
As regards the measures to which I have referred, the necessary legislation will not be ready for some time and, accordingly, it is necessary to continue them for a further period by means of the machinery of the present Bill. I understand memoranda explanatory of the measures in the Schedule have been circulated to the House. I ask the House to give a Second Reading to the Bill to-day. Should any member care subsequently to raise any point relating to the measures set out in the Schedule I shall be glad to draw the attention of the Minister responsible for the administration of the Act referred to, to the comments made here and to ask him to deal with them on another occassion.