I want to raise only a minor point in connection with this section. Would it not be desirable to insert a provision stating that the Minister should give notice to the sanitary authority of his decision to take action under the section. When the Minister has decided that he finds it necessary to take action in default of the sanitary authority he can call on the sanitary authority to foot the Bill for such action and it does seem necessary that when such action is proposed the sanitary authority should be given warning of some kind or of some duration.
SECTION 18.
Question proposed: " That Section 18 stand part of the Bill."
Mr. Lemass
In practice what will happen is that all these matters will be taken in conjunction with the sanitary authority.
From the standpoint of our everyday experience the Minister or his officials will have made a number of efforts to induce the local authorities to enforce the provisions of the Act before the Minister himself takes action. In other words long before the Minister decides to take action the sanitary authority will be aware of his displeasure at their failure to fulfil their duty. If you wish I could, later on, insert a provision to the effect that the Minister might, after due notice to the local authority, authorise an inspector to take action.
Would it not be possible to put into the section a provision under which the inspector would first of all give notice to the sanitary authority that unless, after a certain specified period, certain alterations or improvements were carried out and certain faults remedied, the Minister would be notified of the authority's default?
Yes, and that the Minister would send the bill for the work done to the authority concerned.
Question put and agreed to.