John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 9:

In page 6, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following:

“Short title, collective citations, construction and commencement

7. (1) This Act may be cited as the European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Act 2019.(2) The European Parliament Elections Acts 1992 to 2014 and this Act (other than section 6) may be cited together as the European Parliament Elections Acts 1992 to 2019 and shall be construed together as one.

(3) The Electoral Acts 1992 to 2018 and section 6 may be cited together as the Electoral Acts 1992 to 2019 and shall be construed together as one.

(4) This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.”.

This amendment introduces a commencement provision by way of a new sub-section (4) to provide for different commencement dates for the Bill's provisions should the need arise. This provision is being proposed given the contingency provisions in the Bill, which relate to the impact of any delay in the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. In the event that the UK legally withdraws from the Union on 29 March, irrespective of whether a withdrawal agreement is or is not in place, all 13 seats allocated to Ireland under the Council decision will be filled-----

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