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Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Dec 1942

Vol. 27 No. 2

Expiring Laws Bill, 1942—Second and Subsequent Stages.

Question proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

This Bill will, I think, give the Seanad even less trouble than that which the House has so kindly put through all its stages just now. The measure in former years was of a more formidable character than the present Bill. The number of Bills in the Schedules are relatively small on this occasion. It is an annual Bill which requires to be enacted before the end of the calender year. It proposes to continue for a further year the statutes set out in Parts I and II of the Schedule. As the Schedule differs but very slightly from the 1941 Schedules, and as it is necessary to effect every possible economy in the use of paper, the customary explanatory memorandum has not been circulated. A limited number of copies of this memorandum are, however, available for any Senators who are particularly anxious to study it. Of eight Acts appearing in the Schedule, provision has already been made for the repeal of the Local Authorities (Combined Purchasing) Act, 1925, which will go when the Local Authorities (Combined Purchasing) Act, 1939, comes into operation. It may not be feasible, however, owing to the emergency, to give effect to the 1939 Act before the 1st January next and it is necessary accordingly to continue the Act for a further period.

A Rent Restrictions Bill is at present being prepared and the Minister for Justice hopes to introduce it shortly. As it will not be enacted before the end of this year, it is necessary to continue for a further period the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act, 1923. The position regarding the remaining Acts has been reviewed to consider whether legislation might be introduced to give permanence to any of them in their present form or in an amended form. Any such legislation is not, however, thought to be feasible at present. It will be appreciated that the Schedule of enactments to be continued has shrunk considerably over a number of years and we are left with a mere handful of Acts which as opportunity presents itself will be further diminished.

Question put and agreed to.
Agreed to take the remaining stages now.
Sections 1 and 2 and the First Schedule agreed to.
Question proposed: "That the Second Schedule be the Second Schedule to the Bill."

I should like to ask the Minister what is the meaning of the last item in the Schedule, the Local Government Act, 1941—Section 65. How is it that an Act which was so recently passed has to be re-enacted in 1942, or at least Section 65 of it?

Section 65 of the Local Government Act of 1941 relates to temporary borrowing by local authorities for current expenses. Normally, any such borrowing must be repaid out of the revenue of the local authority in respect of the financial year in which the expenses were incurred. Section 65 permits the period of redemption to be extended up to ten years subject to the sanction of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health in respect of moneys borrowed during the continuance of the Act. The section will expire on the 31st December of this year and it is desired to have it continued for a further period pending the consideration of a comprehensive Bill dealing with borrowing by local authorities.

Question put and agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill put through Committee without amendment, received for final consideration and passed.
Bill ordered to be returned to the Dáil.
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