Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy is correct in her assertion but there is a specific reason this is not the case here. While it is a common feature of Irish legislation that Acts may be grouped together as a series, it is not a requirement nor does it affect the validity of any part of the Act or Acts in question if they are not grouped together. In this case, the Parliamentary Counsel has advised that it is not necessary to group this Bill with the other Air Navigation Acts. This Bill is a stand-alone one dealing with a particular issue and, consequently, it is not necessary to link it to any of the earlier Air Navigation Acts.

We do not want to give the impression that this Bill will form part of all the other Acts, and will give some permanency and currency of attachment to the Acts. It is a specific, stand-alone measure and I want to keep it separate from the other Acts. That was the advice of the parliamentary counsel and I can understand the reason in this case.

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