Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

We have come back to the House as quickly as possible. Since the publication of the Bill, a new project has commenced in the Office of the Attorney General to devise a comprehensive catalogue of all pre-1922 legislation, with a view to enacting more comprehensive repealing legislation. The next statute law revision Bill will reflect this new approach. However, this does not affect the validity of the traditional approach and the new project will be helped by the passage of this Bill, which will sweep away over 200 Acts.

Some statutes pre-dating independence cannot simply be repealed, even with the use of a new and more comprehensive model of statute law revision. This is because they contain provisions which are still relevant. If these Acts are to be repealed, these relevant provisions must be replaced with modern provisions. This is the reason Acts such as the Statute of Frauds Act 1695 will not be repealed under this Bill. This Act still governs the law of contract and although it is suitable for re-enacting in modern format, it must be replaced rather than repealed.