Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

This is a fascinating Bill. It repeals 1,350 obsolete Acts predating independence, some going back to penal days but which are not entirely without relevance. I note an Act dating to 1731 providing for the relief of the creditors of James Mead and George Curtis, late bankers of Dublin. Nothing much has changed. The repeal of pre-independence legislation is fascinating. We will finally bring the penal laws to an end, which is great news.

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