Agriculture Act, 1931

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Citation: IR No. 8/1931

Number 8 of 1931.
AGRICULTURE ACT, 1931.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Preliminary.
Section 1. Short title and commencement. 2. Definitions.
PART I.
DISSOLUTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND AND TRANSFER OF THE FUNCTIONS THEREOF.
3. Dissolution of the Department. 4. Transfer of powers and duties to the Minister for Agriculture. 5. Transfer of powers and duties to the Minister for Industry and Commerce. 6. Transfer of Officers. 7. Adaptation of existing enactments. 8. Transfer of property of the Department. 9. Adaptation of pending contracts. 10. Continuation of proceedings pending by or against the Department. 11. Consultative Councils. 12. Superannuation of certain former officers of the Department.
PART II.
AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY SCHEMES.
13. Establishment of committee of agriculture. 14. Existing committees of agriculture. 15. Appointment and membership of committees of agriculture. 16. Procedure at meetings of committees of agriculture. 17. Meetings abandoned for want of quorum. 18. Payment of travelling expenses to members of committees. 19. Application of Part IV. of the Act of 1925. 20. Application of certain provisions of the Act of 1925 as amended. 21. Application of Local Authorities (Mutual Assurance) Acts, 1926 and 1928. 22. Officers of committees of agriculture. 23. Removal of officers and servants by the Minister. 24. Local inquiries by the Minister. 25. Attendance of witnesses at local inquiries. 26. Administration of oaths at local inquiries. 27. Scales of salaries for officers. 28. Travelling expenses for officers. 29. Co-operation between committees. 30. Contracts by committees of agriculture. 31. Audit of accounts of committees of agriculture. 32. Legal proceedings. 33. Agricultural schemes. 34. Application of Article 12 of the Schedule to the Local Government (Application of Enactments) Order, 1898. 35. Forestry schemes. 36. Agricultural and forestry rates. 37. Borrowing by county councils. 38. Application of moneys raised under this Act. 39. Application of parliamentary grants. 40. Regulations.
PART III.
TRANSITORY PROVISIONS.
41. Transfer of property to committees of agriculture. 42. Transfer of debts and liabilities to committees of agriculture. 43. Transfer of officers to committees of agriculture.
PART IV.
MISCELLANEOUS.
44. Verification of certain claims and applications. 45. Transfer of land from the Forestry Commissioners. 46. Reports of the Minister. 47. The Fisheries Acts, 1842 to 1925. 48. Laying of regulations before Houses of the Oireachtas. 49. Expenses. 50. Repeals.
FIRST SCHEDULE.
Enactments, the Powers and Duties under which are Transferred by this Act
SECOND SCHEDULE.
Appointment and Membership of Committees of Agriculture
THIRD SCHEDULE.
Rules for Payments of Travelling Expenses
FOURTH SCHEDULE.
Enactments repealed
Acts Referred to Local Government Act, 1925 No. 5 of 1925 Local Government Act, 1927 No. 3 of 1927 Railways Act, 1924 No. 29 of 1924 Civil Service (Transferred Officers) Compensation Act, 1929 No. 36 of 1929 Local Authorities (Officers and Employees) Act, 1926 No. 39 of 1926 Creamery Act, 1928 No. 26 of 1928
Number 8 of 1931.
AGRICULTURE ACT, 1931.
AN ACT TO DISSOLVE THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION FOR IRELAND, TO TRANSFER THE FUNCTIONS NOW EXERCISED BY THE SAID DEPARTMENT AS TO PART THEREOF TO THE MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE AND AS TO THE REMAINDER THEREOF TO THE MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE, TO MAKE PROVISION IN RESPECT OF PERSONS NOW OR LATELY EMPLOYED BY AND REMUNERATED OUT OF FUNDS OF THE SAID DEPARTMENT, TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE FORMULATING AND CARRYING OUT OF SCHEMES IN RELATION TO AGRICULTURE AND OTHER RURAL INDUSTRIES, AND THE PRESERVATION OF EXISTING WOODS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES INCIDENTAL TO OR ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THE MATTERS AFORESAID. [29th March, 1931.]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS OF SAORSTÁT EIREANN AS FOLLOWS:—
Preliminary.
	Short title and commencement.	1.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Agriculture Act, 1931.
	(2) This Act shall come into operation on the 1st day of April, 1931.
	Definitions.	2.—In this Act—
	the expression “the Minister” means the Minister for Agriculture;
	the expression “the Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland;
	the expression “the Act of 1899” means the Agriculture and Technical Instruction (Ireland) Act, 1899;
	the expression “the Act of 1925” means the Local Government Act, 1925 (No. 5 of 1925);
	the expression “the Act of 1927” means the Local Government Act, 1927 (No. 3 of 1927);
	the expression “the purposes of agriculture and other rural industries” includes assistance, improvement, and development of and instruction in all or any of the following industries, that is to say, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, dairying, the breeding of horses, cattle and other live stock and poultry, bee-keeping, the cultivation and preparation of flax, and any industry immediately connected with and subservient to any of the said industries, and the said expression also includes aiding or facilitating the carriage and distribution of agricultural requisites and produce;
	the word “county” means an administrative county but does not include a county borough;
	the expression “rateable value” means the annual rateable value under the Valuation Acts;
	the expression “local financial year” means a period of twelve months ending on any 31st day of March.
PART I. Dissolution of the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland and Transfer of the Functions thereof.
	Dissolution of the Department.	3.—Immediately upon the commencement of this Act the Department shall stand dissolved.
	Transfer of powers and duties to the Minister for Agriculture.	4.—(1) The several powers and duties (in this Act collectively referred to as the powers and duties transferred to the Minister) hereinafter mentioned are hereby transferred to and conferred and imposed on the Minister, that is to say:—
	(a) the several powers and duties under the respective enactments mentioned in the First Schedule to this Act which, immediately before the commencement of this Act, were exercised or performed or capable of being exercised or performed by the Department, and
	(b) the powers and duties in connection with the Albert Agricultural College (otherwise known as the Albert Agricultural and Dairy Training Department and formerly known as the Albert Institution) at Glasnevin, Dublin, and the Munster Institute (otherwise known as the Munster Dairy School and Agricultural Institute and formerly known as the Munster Institution) which were transferred to the Department under paragraph (h) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Act of 1899 and all other (if any) powers and duties exercised or performed or capable of being exercised or performed by the Department in connection with the said College or the said Institute immediately before the commencement of this Act, and
	(c) all other (if any) statutory powers and duties (except powers and duties transferred by this Act to the Minister for Industry and Commerce) which immediately before the commencement of this Act were exercised or performed or were capable of being exercised or performed by the Department.
	(2) In addition to the powers and duties hereinbefore transferred to the Minister, the Minister shall have and may exercise and perform the following powers and duties heretofore vested in the Department under the Act of 1899, that is to say:—
	(a) the Minister may make, or cause to be made, or aid in making, such inquiries, experiments, and research, and collect, or aid in collecting, such information as he may think important for the purposes of agriculture and other rural industries; and
	(b) the Minister may take such steps as he thinks proper for appearing as complainant on behalf of any person aggrieved in reference to any matter (other than a matter affecting the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs) which the Railway Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear and determine by virtue of any function, jurisdiction, power, or duty transferred to it from the Railway and Canal Commissioners; and
	(c) the Minister may take such steps as he thinks proper for instituting prosecutions under sections 6, 7 and 8 of the Fertilizers and Feeding Stuffs Act, 1906.
	(3) In addition to the powers conferred on the Minister by paragraph (b) of the foregoing sub-section and without prejudice to the exercise of such powers, the Minister shall have the right of audience either by an officer of the Minister or by counsel or solicitor, before the Railway Tribunal in relation to any matter which the Railway Tribunal has jurisdiction to hear and determine by virtue of the Railways Act, 1924 (No. 29 of 1924).
	(4) The Minister shall before exercising the powers conferred on him by paragraph (b) of sub-section (2) of this section or the right conferred on him by sub-section (3) of this section consult with the Minister for Industry and Commerce in regard to the exercise of such powers or right.
	(5) The Minister may publish in such manner as shall appear to him desirable such particulars as he shall think fit in regard to any inquiries, experiments, research, and information...