Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 11:

In page 17, before section 18, to insert the following new section:

"18.—Within three months of the passing of this Act, the Minister shall cause to be published a further version of the Defence Acts Restatement which shall incorporate this Act.".

The new section proposed in this amendment calls on the Minister after this Bill has been passed to amend the Defence Acts restatement, which was published by his Department as an attempt to codify all the legislation in a particular Department's remit. In fairness to the Department of Defence — the Minister can take his hat off in this regard — it was one of the first Departments to produce a codified book of legislation under the Government's consolidated legislative proposals. The excellent restatement book will become outdated after this Bill has been passed because it will not include the consequent new Act. The proposed new section states, "within three months of the passing of this Act, the Minister shall cause to be published a further version of the Defence Acts Restatement which shall incorporate this Act". I will withdraw my amendment if the Minister responds by saying that will be done anyway. The intention of my amendment is to prod the Minister in that direction.