I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Stanton. He seems to spend more time in the Seanad than elsewhere. Before we commence, I remind the House that a Senator may speak only once on Report Stage, except the proposer of the amendment who may reply to the discussion on the amendment. On Report Stage, each amendment must be seconded. Amendment No. 1 arises from Committee proceedings.
Legal Metrology (Measuring Instruments) Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages
Government amendment No. 1:
In page 3, to delete line 15 and substitute the following:
“ “Minister” means the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation;”.
I thank Senators for their patience on Tuesday, 24 October last, when the Seanad was only able to take Committee Stage and was unable to take Report and Final Stages. The background is that since the Bill was initiated by the Tánaiste in July last, the name of the Department was changed from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation. A Government order entitled the Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2017, SI 364 of 2017, was signed by the Taoiseach on behalf of the Government on 26 July 2017 and the order came into operation on 2 September 2017. The change to the title of the Department is to be given effect in this Bill.
The proposed legislation is straightforward. The Bill is technical in nature and contains four heads and a Schedule. Senators agreed to take Committee Stage on 24 October and we have had great co-operation from the Seanad on the Bill to date. I am sure that will continue today. It will be necessary to report back to the Dáil on the legislation and I understand this will be done soon. I thank Senators again for facilitating the passage of this technical Bill through the Seanad.
The Office of the Attorney General has advised that the optional provisions of Articles 1 and 3 of the directive must be transposed separately through primary legislation by means of a stand-alone technical Bill. There is not much more to be said on the Bill.
The Seanad had a full discussion of the Bill. This is a technical issue involving the renaming of the Bill. There is little more to be said.
Amendment agreed to.
Bill, as amended, received for final consideration and passed.
Sitting suspended at 12.55 p.m. and resumed at 1 p.m.