PART I.

Preliminary and General.

Short title.

1. —This Act may be cited as the Great Northern Railway Act, 1953.

Interpretation.

2. —(1) In this Act—

“the Board” means the Board established by section 6;

“the Company” means the Great Northern Railway Company (Ireland);

“enactment” includes any instrument made under an enactment;

“the establishment date” means the date fixed under section 6;

“land” includes land covered by water and any easement, profit or right in or over land or land covered by water;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Industry and Commerce;

“the Minister of Commerce” means the Minister of Commerce for Northern Ireland;

“the Ministry” means the Ministry of Commerce for Northern Ireland;

“railway line” includes a section of railway line;

“the Transport Tribunal” means the Transport Tribunal established by section 54 of the Transport Act, 1950 (No. 12 of 1950).

(2) References in this Act to any enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended by any subsequent enactment.

(3) In this Act a reference by number to a Part, section or Schedule is to the Part, section or Schedule of this Act bearing that number unless it is indicated that a reference to another Act is intended.

Power to Minister to enter into agreement.

3. —The Minister is hereby authorised to enter into an agreement with the Ministry in the terms of the draft set out in the First Schedule.

Exemption from stamp duties.

4. —(1) Section 12 of the Finance Act, 1895, shall not operate so as to require the Board to deliver to the Revenue Commissioners a copy of this Act or to pay any stamp duty under that section on any copy of this Act.

(2) Stamp duty shall not be chargeable on any instrument made for the purpose of section 20.

(3) Stamp duty shall not be chargeable on any agreement, bond, affidavit, statutory declaration, arbitration award or other instrument made for the purpose of section 38.

Expenses.

5. —The expenses incurred by the Minister in the execution of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.