I move that the Bill be now read a Second Time. This Bill, as its title indicates, is consequential on the abolition of Seanad Eireann. The first section provides that all references to the Seanad shall cease to have effect, and also that references to members of the Seanad, or to the Cathaoirleach and Leas-Cathaorleach of the Seanad, shall cease to have effect. Section 2 provides that every mention or reference contained in any Act of the Oireachtas to either House or to both Houses of the Oireachtas shall be construed and take effect as a mention or reference to Dáil Eireann. The second portion of that section provides also that, wherever in an Act of the Oireachtas it is required that anything should be done by both Houses or by either House of the Oireachtas, such thing may now be done by Dáil Eireann, and, furthermore, if and when done, it shall have the same effect as if done by both or either House of the Oireachtas as the case may be.
The best-known example of the conditions under which this sub-section would operate is in connection with the well-known provision which appears in many Acts of the Oireachtas by which regulations made by the Minister are laid before each House, and within a period, generally of 21 days, if a resolution providing for the annulment of such Order is passed by either House, the Order shall cease to have effect. If this section be passed into law, it will mean that in future regulations of that character will have to be brought before the Dáil and, unless annulled by resolution of the Dáil, will have full force and effect as if they had hitherto been passed, that is to say, had not been annulled by resolution of either House of the Oireachtas.
There are other examples, such as the Control of Imports Act, which make this provision necessary. Under the Control of Imports Act, 1934, it is provided that a quota order shall expire at the end of six months, unless, before the expiry of such period, a resolution is brought before either House of the Oireachtas in a manner similar to that in respect of regulations. If this section becomes law, it will suffice that any import order or amendment of an import order shall be brought before the Dáil. The third section of the Bill deals with the Private Bill (Costs) Act, in which there are certain references to the Seanad. Section 3 and the First Schedule of the Bill provide for the consequential amendments necessary in this Private Bill (Costs) Act. Deputies will see from this Schedule that the references to the Seanad are deleted. Unless this amendment of the Private Bill (Costs) Act becomes law, there is danger that that Act would become inoperative and ineffective.
Section 4 provides that, wherever the Executive Council are of opinion that it is necessary, in consequence of the abolition of Seanad Eireann, that any general or specific modification or adaptation of any Act of the Oireachtas should be made, they shall have power to make by Order such modification or adaptation, whether the Act be public or private, and that the Order in question shall have the effect of making the modification or adaptation in question have full force and effect. The second sub-section of Section 4 provides that any adaptation or modification of the Act made by order of the Executive Council shall not be contrary to or inconsistent with any adaptation or modification made by this Act. The third sub-section of this section provides that the power of the Executive Council to make Orders for the adaptation and modification of Acts of the Oireachtas shall also extend to Orders or regulations made under such Acts. This section is on the same principle as the Adaptation of Enactments Act of 1922, under which the Executive Council has been empowered to make adaptations from time to time to suit the altered conditions and altered needs of the Saorstát, and should it become necessary for the Executive Council to make an Order adapting any Act or any Order or regulation under such Act because of the abolition of the Seanad, then the Executive Council, under this section, will be empowered to do so.
Section 5 provides that that power of the Executive Council to adapt or modify Acts of the Oireachtas shall apply to private Acts as well as to public Acts and to any Order, regulation or other instrument made under any such Act. Section 6 provides that the enactments referred to in the Second Schedule of this Bill shall be repealed. These enactments deal very largely with electoral questions. For example, Part VII of the Electoral Act of 1923, which lays down regulations regarding the eligibility of certain people for election to Seanad Eireann, is dealt with. The Oireachtas (Payment of Members) Act, 1923, is also dealt with to a similar extent dealing with the Seanad. It also deals with the Prevention of Electoral Abuses Act, 1923, as well as with the Seanad Electoral Act, 1928, the Seanad By-elections Act, 1930, and the Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1933. The object of the repeal, so far as it is effected in the Acts referred to, is to delete all references to Seanad Eireann. These references, if continued, would simply mean that there would be nothing on which they would operate, and hence it is desired and is thought convenient that they should be repealed at the present juncture. There is also a reference to the Oireachtas (Payment of Members) Act, 1933, and it is considered suitable in connection with this Bill to amend a portion of that measure which deals with Seanad Eireann.