Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to be here to speak on the Bill. When I started looking at the issue of metrology I did not know much about it. I read the digest provided by the library and research service. I commend the researchers for what is an excellent digest. It was a very good read. Deputy Lahart took the best line out of it, which I was going to use myself. I might still use it anyway; we will see how we get on.

While it is not the Minister's fault, I want to raise the concern about the delay in producing the Bill, which has turned its passing into a matter of urgency. This is why it has come before us today as the final Bill of this session of the Dáil. Quoting directly from the Bill digest:

The deadline for the transposition of Directive 2014/32/EU was 19 April 2016 and as this deadline was not met, the European Commission issued Ireland with a formal infringement notice on 26 May 2016 and with a Reasoned Opinion on 8 December 2016 giving two more months to transpose. If not transposed urgently, Ireland may face fines from the European Court of Justice.

Can the Minister confirm whether Ireland was served with a fine or any other sanction due to the delay in progressing this Bill?

People might wonder what this Bill is about. I do not think it was in any of our election manifestos or anything we spoke to the public about. Although not the most thrilling legislation, it is really important. It transposes two sections of an EU directive into Irish legislation relating to the legalities of measuring instruments. What is metrology? As Deputy Lahart said earlier, citing the Bill digest, it is the science of measurement and is one of, if not the oldest science in the world. This anecdote from ancient times may explain the topic and highlights its importance through the ages: the death penalty faced those who forgot or neglected their duty to calibrate the standard unit of length at each full moon.

Each day in our own lives, we engage in metrology, from drinking a pint or watching the pump as we fill the car with diesel to weighing ourselves on the bathroom scales and monitoring our electricity and gas usage. Metrology is also vital to science, measuring temperature changes due to global warming, earthquakes and their aftermaths, and pollutants in the air, water and soil. This law will ensure that inaccurate measuring instruments are prevented from reaching the market for sale in Ireland. The Metrology Act 1996 established a legal metrology service which currently provides consumers with reassurance that measuring instruments in everyday life, ranging from taxi meters to petrol pumps, are regulated and legally accurate. This legislation will extend protection for consumers in this area.

It is a very short piece of legislation and is needed to transpose two articles of the directive that cannot be transposed through a statutory instrument. It will bring Ireland into line with European standards in this area. I know the lateness of the Bill is not the Minister's fault. For future Bills, I ask her to ensure they are brought to the House before EU deadlines run out to ensure that the committee has time for pre-legislative scrutiny and to allow adequate time for debate, regardless of how technical or controversial the Bill is. I remind the Minister of my question as to whether Ireland was served with any fine or sanction due to the delay in progressing this Bill.

I wish the Minister the best over the summer recess. While the Dáil will be in recess, I am sure she, like the rest of us, will be working really hard. I hope she gets to spend some quality time with her family and friends and comes back refreshed in the autumn.

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