Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome this legislation. It is quite useful that we look at old laws and where necessary that we repeal them. I commend the Law Reform Commission and indeed the officials in the Department who worked on this.

One of the proclamations being repealed is an 1831 proclamation around the stealing of sheep belonging to the Sinnott family of Parkannesley, Ballygarret, County Wexford. The Sinnott family continues to farm in that area. They are quite happy to allow an amnesty if information comes forward in these circumstances. However, it shows the importance of our history within this area. One of the things that will be useful is if some of the documents related to this were made available to local history societies and organisations because there is a rich social history in some of the work involved. I have assured some of the extended members of the Sinnott family that if any information does come forward with regard to who killed the sheep during the 1830s that that information will be provided to the family.

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