This is a Seanad Bill which has been amended by the Dáil. In accordance with Standing Order 113, it is deemed to have passed its First, Second and Third Stages in the Seanad and is placed on the Order Paper for Report Stage. On the question "That the Bill be received for final consideration", the Minister may explain the purpose of the amendments made by the Dáil. This is looked upon as the report of the Dáil amendments to the Seanad. For the convenience of Senators, I have arranged for the printing and circulation to them of those amendments. The Minister will deal separately with the subject matter of each related group of amendments. I have also circulated the proposed grouping in the House. Senators may speak once on each grouping. I remind Senators that the only matters that may be discussed are the amendments made by the Dáil.
Industrial Development Bill 2008 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages.
I call the Minister to speak on the subject matter of the amendments in group 1.
I am delighted to be back in this House with the Seanadóirí.
A total of 20 amendments were proposed and approved on Committee Stage of the Bill in the Dáil. The Labour Party jointly proposed one of those amendments. The amendments do not make any substantive changes to the Bill as originally introduced in this House.
Amendments Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive, and Nos. 8 to 20, inclusive, in sections 2, 3, 5 and 6 of the Bill were introduced to provide for the commencement of all sections of the Bill on the passing of the Bill. The previous draft of the Bill provided for ministerial orders to commence the various sections of the Act but it was then concluded that the ministerial order mechanism is not necessary and it is now proposed that all sections will come into effect on the passing of the Bill. It is merely a technical issue. We are moving from ministerial commencement orders to commencement on the passing of the Bill.
Amendment No. 7 in section 3 is a drafting amendment to delete "the substitution of" and substitute "substituting" and does not constitute a substantive or material change. That amendment was originally submitted in this House by the Labour Party Members who had tabled a number of drafting amendments on Committee Stage. However, on the advice of the Parliamentary Counsel it was not accepted at that stage. The amendment was resubmitted on Committee Stage in the Dáil. The Parliamentary Counsel had reconsidered the matter and recommended that the amendment should be made. That is in accordance with the conciliatory approach on this side of the House to try to accommodate all views and include as many of them as possible in the Bill.
Group 2 concerns the subject matter of amendment No. 7.
I have already covered that, a Chathaoirligh. I have dealt with all the amendments——
In group 1 and group 2.
Yes. I have covered all of them.
I thank the staff of the Seanad and the Senators for their co-operation in taking the Bill at short notice. While it involved dealing with technical amendments I appreciate their co-operation. The Bill does not change policy but it is important because it allows the enactment of policy. I thank the Seanad staff, Members and the officials in the Department who worked diligently night after night on the Bill.
When is it proposed to sit again?
At 2.30 p.m. next Tuesday, 19 May 2009.