Tom Kitt (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

The additional words inserted by the Seanad are in the definition of "year" in the Interpretation Act 1937. They were not carried over into the Bill because a general provision was included in section 4 of the Bill providing that the proposed Act would apply except in so far as the contrary intention appears. However, the words when used without qualification in the definition of "year" in the Interpretation Act 1936 could also be regarded as having a technical meaning to others, known as a qualified year.

A solar year, the time it takes for the earth to go around the sun once, may be classified as a qualified or an unqualified year. A qualified year relates to where the start and end points are expressed or otherwise ascertainable and an unqualified year relates to where it is equal to the solar cycle, which has no specified starting point. I hope this is clear to Members. When used without qualification, the year starts on 1 January of any year. It is no wonder that we need Interpretation Bills to deal with these issues. A qualified year means that the starting point is identified, such as from the present.

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