State Property Act, 1954

• Jurisdiction: Ireland
• Citation: IR No. 25/1954

Number 25 of 1954.
STATE PROPERTY ACT, 1954.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART I.
Preliminary and General.
Section 1. Short title. 2. Interpretation. 3. Cumulative nature of powers under this Act. 4. Repeal of the State Lands Act, 1924, and saving.
PART II.
State Land.
Chapter I.
Vesting of State land in State authorities and transfer of State land from one State authority to another.
5. Vesting in the Minister of State land not otherwise vested. 6. Vesting of State land in cases of doubt. 7. Transfer of State land by one State authority to another. 8. Provisions in relation to State land registered under the Registration of Title Act, 1891.
Chapter II.
Powers of State authorities in relation to State land.
9. Powers of State authorities under this Chapter to be exercisable only with the consent of the Minister. 10. Sale, exchange, gratuitous grant and leasing of State land, other than that mentioned in the First Schedule. 11. Other powers of State authorities in relation to State land other than that mentioned in the First Schedule. 12. Waiver and release of rent and arrears of rent and mesne rates in respect of State land.
Chapter III.
Provisions in relation to certain rents payable to the State.
13. Apportionment of former crown rents. 14. Redemption of certain State rents payable out of land sold under the Land Purchase Acts. 15. Provisions in relation to fees in respect of former crown rents.
Chapter IV.
Legal Proceedings.
16. Legal proceedings in respect of State land. 17. Recovery of State land held by members of Defence Forces, Garda Síochána, etc. 18. Priority of moneys due in respect of former crown rents, etc.
Chapter V.
Miscellaneous Provisions.
19. Gifts to a State authority, the State, the Nation or the People. 20. Power of Land Commission to purchase or accept gratuitous grant of State land for purposes of the Land Purchase Acts. 21. Meaning of “superior interest” in the Land Purchase Acts. 22. Custody of title deeds relating to State land. 23. Provisions in relation to the Commissioners. 24. Confirmation of withdrawal of certain claims in respect of former crown rents and former crown reversions. 25. Confirmation of agreement to sell Aldborough House, Dublin. 26. Confirmation of certain instruments relating to State land.
PART III.
Rights and Prerogatives belonging to the people in relation to property, escheat and bona vacantia.
27. Exercise of rights and prerogatives belonging to the People. 28. Devolution of property of dissolved body corporate. 29. Vesting of certain personal property belonging to the State in the Minister. 30. Determination of claims by the State to certain property. 31. Waiver of rights of the State to certain property. 32. Disclaimer of certain land devolving on the State by way of escheat or as bona vacantia.
PART IV.
Financial Provisions.
33. Discharge of certain debts due by State authorities, etc., by set off. 34. Disposition of moneys standing to the credit of the Woods, Forests and Land Revenues Account. 35. Disposition of future moneys received in respect of State land. 36. Disposition of moneys standing to credit of the Intestate Estates Fund Deposit Account. 37. Disposition of other moneys. 38. Expenses of State authorities.
FIRST SCHEDULE.
SECOND SCHEDULE.
Acts Referred to Foreshore Act, 1933 No. 12 of 1933 Arterial Drainage Act, 1925 No. 33 of 1925 River Owenmore Drainage Act, 1926 No. 3 of 1926 Barrow Drainage Act, 1927 No. 26 of 1927 Arterial Drainage Act, 1945 No. 3 of 1945 State Lands (Workhouses) Act, 1930 No. 9 of 1930 Saint Laurence's Hospital Act, 1943 No. 3 of 1943 Tuberculosis (Establishment of Sanatoria) Act, 1945 No. 4 of 1945 State Lands Act, 1924 No. 45 of 1924 Interpretation Act, 1937 No. 38 of 1937 Registration of Title Act, 1942 No. 26 of 1942 Court Officers Act, 1945 No. 25 of 1945 Finance Act, 1924 No. 27 of 1924 Forestry Act, 1946 No. 13 of 1946 Minerals Development Act, 1940 No. 31 of 1940 Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1936 No. 4 of 1936 Bourn Vincent Memorial Park Act, 1932 No. 31 of 1932 National Stud Act, 1945 No. 31 of 1945 Johnstown Castle Agricultural College Act, 1945 No. 33 of 1945 Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1950 No. 4 of 1950 Shannon Fisheries Act, 1935 No. 4 of 1935
Number 25 of 1954.
STATE PROPERTY ACT, 1954.
AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION FOR THE VESTING AND MANAGEMENT OF, AND TO CONTROL THE ALIENATION OF, CERTAIN LAND AND OTHER PROPERTY BELONGING TO THE STATE AND TO MAKE PROVISION FOR OTHER MATTERS RELATING TO STATE PROPERTY AND STATE AUTHORITIES. [9th December, 1954.]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:—
PART I. Preliminary and General.
	Short title.	1.—This Act may be cited as the State Property Act, 1954.
	Interpretation.	2.—(1) In this Act—
	“the Commissioners” means the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland;
	“enactment” means any enactment being—
	(a) a pre-Union Irish statute, or
	(b) a British statute, or
	(c) a Saorstát Éireann statute, or
	(d) an Act of the Oireachtas (whether passed before or after this Act);
	“former crown rent” means any periodic payment which was, immediately before the 6th day of December, 1922, collectable under the Crown Lands Acts, 1829 to 1913, being—
	(a) a crown rent, or
	(b) a quit rent, or
	(c) a composition rent, or
	(d) any other rent or rent-charge;
	“land” includes—
	(a) land of any tenure,
	(b) foreshore, within the meaning of the Foreshore Act, 1933 (No. 12 of 1933),
	(c) mines and minerals, whether held apart from the surface or not,
	(d) parts of buildings held or enjoyed under any lease, contract of tenancy, or licence,
	(e) any estate or interest in land, whether in possession or in remainder,
	(f) reversions,
	(g) any former crown rent,
	(h) rent and rent-charges (other than former crown rents) in respect of, or issuing out of, land,
	(i) franchises, easements, profits-a-prendre, licences and other rights, privileges, liberties, advantages or benefits of whatsoever kind in, over, or in relation to, land;
	“the Land Commission” means the Irish Land Commission;
	“the Minister” means the Minister for Finance;
	“the operative date” means the date of the passing of this Act;
	“State authority” means any authority being—
	(a) a Minister of State, or
	(b) the Commissioners;
	“State land” means land which belongs to the State, the Nation, the People or a State authority or a gift of which, made to the State, the Nation or the People or in terms indicating that it is for the benefit of the State, the Nation or the People, was, before the operative date, accepted by the Government or a State authority, and includes any former crown rent, but does not include—
	(a) St. Stephen's Green Park, Dublin,
	(b) any land conveyed or assigned to, or vested in, a State authority by way of mortgage,
	(c) any land acquired by, or vested in, the Commissioners under the Drainage and Navigation (Ireland) Acts, 1842 to 1857, the Drainage and Improvement of Lands (Ireland) Acts, 1863 to 1892, the Arterial Drainage Act, 1925 (No. 33 of 1925), the River Owenmore Drainage Act, 1926 (No. 3 of 1926), the Barrow Drainage Act, 1927 (No. 26 of 1927), the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945 (No. 3 of 1945), or any other enactment relating to the drainage of land,
	(d) any charge, rent-charge, annuity or other periodical payment payable to the Commissioners under or in pursuance of any enactment,
	(e) any land (including glebe land) or any sum (including any security) now, or hereafter to be, acquired or held by, or transferred to, or vested in, or payable to, the Land Commission, whether in trust or otherwise,
	(f) any land to which the State Lands (Workhouses) Act, 1930 (No. 9 of 1930), applies,
	(g) any land for the time being held by the Minister for Health for the purposes of the Saint Laurence's Hospital Act, 1943 (No. 3 of 1943), or the Tuberculosis (Establishment of Sanatoria) Act, 1945 (No. 4 of 1945).
	(2) In this Act, a reference by number to a section is to the section of this Act bearing that number unless it is indicated that a reference to some other Act is intended.
	(3) References in this Act to State land vested in a State authority shall be construed as including references to State land vested in that State authority otherwise than by or under this Act.
	Cumulative nature of powers under this Act.	3.—For the avoidance of doubts it is hereby declared that—
	(a) the powers conferred by this Act on a State authority in relation to State land are in addition to, and not in substitution for, any powers exercisable by that State authority in relation to that State land under any previous enactment and such last-mentioned powers shall continue to be exercisable accordingly,
	(b) nothing contained in any previous enactment relating to State land shall be construed as limiting the powers conferred by this Act in relation to that State land.
	Repeal of the State Lands Act, 1924, and saving.	4.—(1) The State Lands Act, 1924 (No. 45 of 1924), is hereby repealed.
	(2) Without prejudice to section 21 of the Interpretation Act, 1937 (No. 38 of 1937), the repeal of the State Lands Act, 1924 , shall not affect the validity of any lease or licence made or granted under that Act.
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