Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman for her words of welcome and wish to say how much I am looking forward to working with the committee. Its work in the area of jobs, enterprise and innovation is extremely important. I am very excited to have been appointed Minister and very much look forward to working with the Chairman and members.

Section 2 provides for amendments to section 1 of the Hallmarking Act 1981 by amending the definition of "articles of precious metal" to add palladium and mixed precious metals and including a definition to cover hallmarking in assay offices outside of the State, as well as a definition of "forged hallmark". I intend to submit an amendment on Report Stage to add "mixed articles of a precious and non-precious metal" to the definitions in the Act. This is being done on foot of requests to include such articles to ensure the precious metal part of such articles will be properly hallmarked and that the non-precious metal will be clearly visible and marked also. Given the technical nature of the Bill, such an amendment will result in consequential amendments to other sections, including sections 3 and 12. I inform the committee that these amendments will also be submitted on Report Stage.