James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 7, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “ “Act of 2020” means the Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020;”

Amendments Nos. 1 to 6, inclusive are technical amendments which amend section 1 of the Bill which provides for definitions.

Amendment No. 1 allows for the inclusion of a reference to the Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020, which is referenced in this Bill in respect of statements of truth.

Amendment No. 2 provides that enactment of this Bill has the same meaning as in the Interpretation Act 2005. Amendments Nos. 3 and 5 provide clarity regarding the interpretation of references to perjury and subornation of perjury under this Bill. Amendment No. 4 deletes the reference to "relevant Act" which is not now required in light of the wider and more comprehensive reference to "enactment" which will cover secondary as well as primary legislation for the purposes of qualifying offences under section 6 in respect of false statutory declarations and other false statements without oath.

Amendment No. 6 provides that section 21(3) of the Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020 does not apply in the case of this Bill. This is because a subsection of the 2020 Act construes references in any enactments to affidavits and statutory declarations as references to statements of truth made in place of such affidavits and statutory declarations whereas in this Bill those affidavits and statutory declarations are treated separately and distinctly, and do not need to be included here. Effectively section 1 is the standard provision defining words and phrases used within the Bill.