The Damage to Property Act provided that in a case where the judge gave an award, that is a case coming under Section 13, the Minister for Finance should have power to create, by order, certain securities and to use these securities for the purpose of paying in certain proportions the person who had received the award. In the case of what are called wrongful acts, which consist mainly in the destruction of bank or Government notes or paper currency of any kind, and secondly, the taking away of chattels, without the consent of the owner, the judge was not empowered to give an award. He was authorised to investigate the case and to report to the Minister for Finance in writing, amongst other things, the sum which would fairly compensate the owner for such loss. It would be possible to pay these report cases in cash when a vote had been taken in the Dáil, but it would not be possible, without an Act of this sort, to pay in securities. It does not seem to us that it is desirable that the report cases should be in a more favourable position than the decree cases. We propose, therefore, by this Act to take power to issue in payment of report cases, the securities issued under the order made under Section 13, primarily where there are awards or decrees.
Bill read a Second Time. Committee Stage ordered for Friday, June 27th.