This Consolidation Bill comes before the Seanad for the fourth time. On the three previous occasions—1950, 1952 and 1957—the Dáil dissolved before the Bill had reached its final stages. The text of the 1958 Bill differs from that of 1952, on which the Standing Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills had reported to the Houses of the Oireachtas on 29th July, 1953, only to the extent that the Bill now includes the provisions of the Fisheries Statute Law Revision Act, 1956, and the recently enacted Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1958. Once the Consolidation Bill is enacted, it is the intention to proceed with the major amendment of the fisheries statutes to bring them into line with modern requirements. Work on the examination of the proposals for such amendment is at present proceeding.
I should like to state in this connection that all those interested in our inland fisheries have been waiting a very long time for these major amendments which we hope to bring in when we can see the law consolidated, as it will be when this is passed by both Houses. I have promised them that I would encourage all those concerned to proceed with the examination of this Bill as quickly as may be. I do not think that any of the difficulties that arose on a former occasion are likely to arise now and the Bill has been duly certified by the Attorney General. I hope the Standing Committee will find that their task will not be too heavy a one.