Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

This amendment provides that section 39 of the Bill in relation to court matters will not require a commencement order. It is likely that further amendments to section 1 will be required on Report Stage to ensure we include all provisions that do not require a commencement order. This will be necessary as a number of further amendments are being contemplated in regard to existing Parts of the Bill, some of which I mentioned on Second Stage. The amendments, many of which are technical, will concern the following: Part 4, the Private Security Services Act 2004, an amendment to its appeals board procedures; Part 6, the Equality Act 1998; Part 8, enforcement of maintenance orders; Part 10, the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, to provide a formal legal provision with regard to citizenship ceremonies; Part 10 relating to taxing masters, an increase in the proposed retirement age, as was raised by Senators during the debate on Second Stage; and Part 15 and miscellaneous where we will make a small technical amendment to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003.

A number of courts related amendments concerning the charging of court fees, the operation of the High Court on circuit and the introduction of new provisions to allow for county registrars, where requested, to tax or settle a bill of costs between a solicitor and client in Circuit Court proceedings, arise under the courts legislation. We will also insert a provision regarding fines in the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 and a text correction in the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004. There will also be a new Part dealing with issues relating to the handling of documents following the completion of a tribunal of inquiry. Members will have the opportunity to consider and discuss these amendments on Report Stage. This initial amendment is merely a technical amendment to the first section of the Bill.