Prices Act, 1958

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Number 4 of 1958.

PRICES ACT, 1958.

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I.

Preliminary And General.

PART II.

Prices Advisory Committees.

PART III.

Prices For Commodities And Charges For Services.

PART IV.

Miscellaneous Provisions

FIRST SCHEDULE.

Enactments Repealed

SECOND SCHEDULE.

Prices Advisory Committees

THIRD SCHEDULE.

Commodities in Respect of Which the Minister May Make Retail Price Display Orders

Number 4 of 1958.

PRICES ACT, 1958.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTROL OF PRICES AND CHARGES FOR COMMODITIES AND SERVICES AND FOR OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH. [19th March, 1958.]

WHEREAS by reason of the fact that the Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946 (No. 22 of 1946), will not continue to be in force after the 31st day of December, 1957—

(a) the wide powers (in this Preamble referred to as the emergency powers) of controlling by order the prices of commodities and the charges for services conferred on a member of the Government by Article 31 of the Emergency Powers Order, 1939 (S.R. & O., No. 224 of 1939), as amended by the Emergency Powers (No. 173) Order, 1942 (S.R. & O., No. 166 of 1942), (which Orders were made under the Emergency Powers Act, 1939 (No. 28 of 1939), now expired, and were continued in force by the said Supplies and Services (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1946 ) will cease to be exercisable after the said date, and

(b) any orders, made in exercise of the emergency powers, which were in force on the said date will cease to be in force after the said date;

AND WHEREAS the Control of Prices Act, 1937 (No. 26 of 1937), is unsuited to the present needs of the State, and it is therefore expedient to repeal it, and consequentially, the Prices Commission (Extension of Functions) Act, 1938 (No. 15 of 1938);

AND WHEREAS it is desirable, in the public interest, to provide for controlling, in certain cases hereinafter mentioned in this Recital, the prices for certain commodities (excluding, amongst other commodities, commodities sold for export or exported for sale) and the charges for rendering certain services (excluding, amongst other services, services to be rendered outside the State), and for that purpose to authorise the Minister for Industry and Commerce to control the prices for any such commodity and the charges which may be made for any such service, where—

(a) he is of opinion that, by reason of the existence of restrictive trade practices in connection with the supply or distribution of the commodity, excessive prices are being or may be charged, or

(b) he is of opinion that, by reason of the existence of restrictive trade practices in connection with the rendering of the service, excessive charges are being or may be made, or

(c) he is of opinion that, by reason of causes within the control of manufacturers or undue labour costs, excessive prices are being or may be charged for the commodity by manufacturers, or

(d) he is of opinion that by reason of causes within the control of persons rendering the service or undue labour costs, excessive charges are being or may be made for rendering the service by those persons, or

(e) there is in force an order made by the Government declaring that a state of emergency affecting the supply of the commodity exists;

AND WHEREAS it is also desirable, in the public interest, to authorise the Minister for Industry and Commerce to make, whenever and so often as he thinks fit, orders controlling the wholesale and retail prices for bread and sugar and the retail prices for butter and milk;

AND WHEREAS it is also desirable, in the public interest, to authorise the Minister for Industry and Commerce to provide for the display, by persons selling certain commodities, of the retail prices thereof.

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:—