Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have some sympathy with the Senator's view on this. Sections 1(4) and 1(5) restate previous provisions relating to the issuing of stock under section 28 of the Transport Act 1950. There is no current proposal for CIE to acquire any transport undertaking but, on balance, I prefer to retain the section as it stands. I cannot accept the proposed amendment.

The section was included in 1950, in a different world. It has been pulled across to protect against something that may happen in the future, however unlikely. It is not proposed that the section would be used in any way. I do not think the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, is proposing to nationalise the Swords Express.

Although the Deputy makes a good point, we will not accept the amendment purely on the basis that there might be some minor reason or requirement in the future to use this provision, and I do not wish to create a situation where that would not be possible and would require other legislation.