Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 8:

8.In page 4, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following:“(2) This Act shall come into operation on such day as the Minister for Justice and Equality may by order appoint.”.

The Revenue Commissioners will require some time to make the necessary and appropriate adjustments to their information technology systems for the purposes of issuing licences under this legislation as soon as it is enacted. For this reason amendment No. 8 inserts a commencement provision in the form of a new subsection (2) in section 3 of the Bill, which is not dissimilar to many such provisions in many Bills coming before this committee. In moving this amendment I am mindful of the comments made by Deputy Kelly, which I am sure are echoed around the table. It is my desire that this legislation, if enacted, will come into force on the earliest possible date and I wish to assure members of the committee of that. Notwithstanding that, I am advised this technical amendment is necessary.