Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

Section 19 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 contains a rule making provision for prisons. Section 19(8) provides that any rules under previous provisions of Acts, parts of which have been repealed, still stand. This was included when the 1947 rules were made and there were older provisions. While the Bill will provide for new prison rules to be made, the old rules will still be in use until they come into force. The amendment inserts a reference to section 19(8) of the 1997 Act to ensure we do not have a scenario where there are no rules.