Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I am seeking the agreement of the Dáil to two amendments made in the Seanad to the Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007. Deputies will note that a third amendment appears on the list of amendments and I will explain the reason later to the House.

I need only say a few words on the deletion of section 1 and the transfer of the Short Title commencement section to the end of the Bill. The Parliamentary Counsel informs me that it is customary in a Bill that is not divided into separate parts to put the Short Title and commencement section at the end of the Bill. Apparently, when a Bill is divided into parts, the usual practice is to put the Short Title at the beginning of the Bill, as Part 1. As this Bill is not separated into parts, the Parliamentary Counsel, who drafted the Bill, has recommended that we place the Short Title at the end of the Bill and that is what is proposed in amendment No. 3, which was made by the Seanad and for which it now seeks the agreement of the House.

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