Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

With the exception of Senator Mullen, every speaker in this debate welcomed the Bill. As a layperson who is somewhat familiar with legal terminology I agree with anything that makes the system more accessible. The Senators who have practised as lawyers pointed out that their work is made easier if they know they will not be tripped up by legislation that has been on the Statute Book since 1800 and is no longer relevant. In repealing these Acts, any rights, privileges and obligations that were inherent in them will be carried over in amendments to new Acts. The Bill does a service to the public, although it may do a disservice to barristers and solicitors who want to charge a mountain of money for going through 2,000 documents. That is going to change. I presume solicitors and barristers have a problem with that but, as a lay person, I have no problem with anything that makes it easier. Is an attempt being made to get the repealed Acts online for research purposes? We know how easy it is to scan material and put it online, even if it is time consuming. That would facilitate the research suggested by Senator Mullen and I recommend it. He said that 27 of the 33 countries surveyed by the Law Society have such a facility. If it is not in place, we should examine doing it.

This step was taken in 2007 but it strikes me that this is the most extensive statute law revision programme attempted anywhere in the world. For the first time, it enables the compilation of a complete list of all pre-Independence primary legislation relevant to Ireland that is still in force. That is a historic day for Ireland and I commend the Minister of State and particularly the staff in the Office of the Attorney General and elsewhere. They pored over and analysed 22,855 statutes. I am indebted to the Oireachtas library and research service for the research; I did not do it. There are no Exchequer cost, staffing or other implications following the enactment of the Bill, which will produce savings in legal and business costs. We sometimes hear criticism of civil servants for not doing work but there is no extra cost in this case. It will produce savings in legal and business costs. Savings in legal costs are always welcome. I note the South Dublin Railway (Abandonment) Act of 1879. I am sorry that we lost the infrastructure, rather than the legislation, because the old tramway passed by my house. We had 60 miles of it from the beginning of 1879. We have repealed the legislation but perhaps we could put tramways there again.