James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is a technical amendment required on foot of amending the Bill to provide for transitional arrangements in respect of gambling legislation currently on the Statute Book. With regard to amendments Nos. 44 and 45 from the Labour Party, the effect of the Senators' proposed amendments to section 9 was to maintain the 1956 Act's statement that every contract by way of gaining or wagering is void. As Members may have seen earlier, I introduced a new section 6, which maintains that scenario for the betting sector and an amendment to section 49, which means the Senators' amendments to section 9 are no longer applicable. When section 9 is commenced in respect of the repeal of the Act of 1956, it will be the case that there is no provision stating contracts by way of gaming are void. I will address amendment No. 313 later to provide a statement similar to the old subsections 2 and 3 of section 9 to ensure contracts entered into before the repeal of the Act of 1956 remain unenforceable. Amendment No. 337 provides for the list of Acts to be repealed and relevant enactments to be revoked by the Bill. In effect, we are doing what the Labour Party amendments seek to do in our amendments.I welcome the students from Gaelscoil na Laochra, Birr, County Offaly. They are very welcome here today and I hope they enjoy their day in Dáil Éireann.