I beg to move the following amendment:—"Immediately after the word `body' and before the word `was,' insert the words `to which this section applies.' "
ADAPTATION OF BRITISH ENACTMENTS BILL. - CLAUSE 7.
Clause 7, Sub-section (1): "Wherever any statutory Board of Commissioners or other statutory body was in existence on the 6th day of December, 1921, and had jurisdictions, powers, or duties extending to the whole of the late United Kingdom, or to any part thereof, which included the area now comprised in Saorstát Eireann, the Executive Council may, by order, establish a Board of Commissioners to exercise in Saorstát Eireann the functions which were on the 6th day of December, 1921, exercisable by such statutory Commissioners or statutory body as aforesaid in the area now comprised in Saorstát Eireann."
I beg to second that.
Amendment agreed to.
I beg to move the following amendment to Clause 7:—
"Immediately after Sub-section 3 insert, `This section applies to any statutory Board of Commissioners or other statutory Board or Body exercising any function of Government or discharging any public duties in relation to public administration.' "
This amendment appears to have been introduced to meet an objection raised by me yesterday afternoon. Through the courtesy of the Legal Adviser of the Government I have seen the amendment, and so far as I can form an opinion it meets the objections that have been raised to the section in its original form. I fancy if passed now it will not be open to the Party opposite, whenever they should happen to sit in the seats of the mighty, to send down a body of Commissioners or a single Commissioner to occupy the positions of the Boards of Directors of the Railway Companies, Gas Companies, and Electric Lighting Companies in the country, and to nationalise all these institutions. I think the Government have very fully met the objections that we raised. My University colleagues here and Deputy Professor Magennis will agree with me in this. I rather fancy the National University and the University College, Cork, would fall within the definition of statutory Bodies that are exercising powers in Saorstát Eireann.
Amendment agreed to.