I ask leave to introduce the Dáil Eireann Courts (Winding-up) Act, 1923, Amendment Bill, which is a Bill "to amend the Dáil Eireann Courts (Winding-up) Act, 1923, and to provide for the disposal of the business of the Land Settlement Courts and other similar courts." The winding-up of the Dáil Courts, other than the Land Courts, is provided for by the Act of 1923, which it is now proposed to amend, but the Land side of the Dáil Eireann Courts was deliberately omitted from that Act, because most of such business had already been covered by agreements. And it was hoped that the comparatively few outstanding cases would be settled in the same way. Unfortunately, these hopes have not been realised in all cases, and in several places the refusal of certain parties to recognise the facts of the situation has created a position which might, if neglected, lead to serious trouble. In those circumstances I cannot contemplate with any equanimity the continuance of the present state of affairs during the summer and the autumn, and, despite the rather heavy programme, it has been thought proper to introduce this Bill, the main purpose of which is to enable the Dáil Eireann Court (Winding-up) Commission to deal with the uncompleted business of the Dáil Land Settlement Courts in the same way as they are dealing at present with the uncompleted business of the other Dáil Courts. There would not be in the country more than a dozen or fifteen of these cases, but they are all of a nature that calls for legislative action.
Leave given. Bill read a First Time; ordered for Second Reading (Friday), June 6th.