Number 37 of 1977

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1977

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Number 37 of 1977

INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1977

Definitions.

1.—In this Act—

“the Acts” means the Industrial Development Acts, 1969 to 1975;

“the Authority” means the Industrial Development Authority;

“the Principal Act” means the Industrial Development Act, 1969.

Grants, etc. for re-structuring of industry.

2.—(1) For the purpose of promoting the re-structuring of industry, the Authority may, in the case of the acquisition by an industrial undertaking of the whole or part of another industrial undertaking or in the case of an amalgamation between two or more industrial undertakings, in addition to the powers conferred on it by the Acts—

(a) make a grant, on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit, towards the reduction of interest payable on a loan raised in connection with such an acquisition or amalgamation,

(b) guarantee the due repayment of the whole or part of the principal of any moneys (including moneys in a currency other than the currency of the State) borrowed in connection with such an acquisition or amalgamation or the payment of interest on such principal or both the repayment of the principal and the payment of such interest.

(2) The Authority shall not, without the prior permission of the Government, give a guarantee in respect of moneys borrowed in connection with an acquisition or amalgamation referred to in subsection (1) of this section where the aggregate amount of the principal of any moneys the subject of the guarantee exceeds £500,000.

Enterprise development grants, etc.

3.—(1) For the purpose of encouraging the establishment of an industrial undertaking by a suitably qualified person who has not, or has not to a significant extent, previously been an owner of an industrial undertaking, the Authority may, in addition to the powers conferred on it by the Acts—

(a) make a grant, on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit, towards the reduction of interest payable on a loan raised to provide working capital for such an undertaking,

(b) guarantee the due repayment of the whole or part of the principal of any moneys (including moneys in a currency other than the currency of the State) borrowed in respect of working capital for such an undertaking or the payment of interest on such principal or both the repayment of the principal and the payment of such interest.

(2) The Authority shall not, without the prior permission of the Government, give a guarantee in respect of moneys borrowed in respect of working capital for an undertaking referred to in subsection (1) of this section, or make a grant towards the reduction of interest payable on a loan raised to provide working capital for such an undertaking, where the amount of the principal of any moneys the subject of the guarantee and the amount of the grant payable towards the reduction of interest exceed in the aggregate £150,000.

Assistance by Authority to developing countries.

4.—The Authority shall have, in addition to the functions assigned to it by section 3 of the Industrial Development Authority Act, 1950, and section 11 of the Principal Act, the function of providing, as the Minister may consider appropriate, assistance of a technical or advisory nature to a developing country.

Amendment of section 17 of Principal Act.

5.—(1) Section 17 (2) (a) (inserted by the Industrial Development (No. 2) Act, 1975) of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion after “section 15 of this Act” of “and of shares purchased or taken by the Authority under section 44 of this Act and of grants made by the Authority under section 2 or 3 of the Industrial Development Act, 1977”.

(2) Section 17 (2) (inserted by the Industrial Development (No. 2) Act, 1975) of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for paragraph (b) of the following:

“(b) The aggregate amount of moneys guaranteed in respect of principal by the Authority under section 37 of this Act or section 2 or 3 of the Industrial Development Act, 1977, and outstanding, and of payments made by the Authority in respect of principal on foot of guarantees under any of those sections, shall not at any time exceed £100,000,000.”.

(3) Section 17 (as amended by the Industrial Development (No. 2) Act, 1975) of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (3) of the following:

“(3) (a) The aggregate amount of grants under section 12 of the Act of 1952, section 3 of the Industrial Grants Act, 1956, and subsection (1) (b) of this section (excluding any amounts required by the Authority to enable it to meet its obligations or liabilities arising from guarantees under section 37 of this Act or section 2 or 3 of the Industrial Development Act, 1977) shall not exceed £400,000,000.

(b) The aggregate amount of grants made by the Minister to the Authority to enable it to meet its obligations or liabilities arising from guarantees under section 37 of this Act or section 2 or 3 of the Industrial Development Act, 1977 in respect of principal shall not exceed £100,000,000.

(c) In relation to a guarantee referred to in paragraph (b) of this and the preceding subsection in money in a currency other than the currency of the State, the references to principal in those paragraphs shall be taken as referring to the equivalent in currency of the State of the actual principal, such equivalent being calculated according to the cost in the currency of the State of the actual principal at the time of the giving of the guarantee.”.

Amendment of section 20 of Principal Act.

6.—The following section is hereby substituted for section 20 of the Principal Act:

“20.—(1) The Authority may, with the consent of the Minister given with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance, borrow temporarily by arrangement with bankers such sums as it may require for the purpose of providing for current expenditure.

(2) In this section ‘current expenditure’ includes expenditure by the Authority in the exercise of any of its functions, whether of an administrative or of a capital nature.”.

Amendment of section 39 of Principal Act.

7.—Section 39 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (3):

“(4) The Authority shall not, without the prior permission of the Government, give in respect of a particular undertaking a training grant or training grants exceeding in the aggregate £850,000.”.

Amendment of section 40 of Principal Act.

8.—Section 40 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of “£50,000” for “£15,000” in paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (4), and that subsection, as so amended, is set out in the Table to this section.

TABLE

“(4) (a) Subject to paragraph (b), the amount of a research grant shall not exceed 50 per cent of the approved costs of the project concerned or £50,000, whichever is the smaller sum.

(b) The amount of a research grant may, with the approval of the Government in a particular case, exceed £50,000 by such sum as the Government shall in that case specify but provided that the percentage limit specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection is not exceeded.

(c) In this subsection ‘approved costs’ means, in relation to a particular proposed research grant, such expenditure by the industrial undertaking or undertakings concerned as the Authority is satisfied has been incurred for the purpose of promoting the project concerned and has been expended on—

(i) the provision of sites or premises (including the acquisition of land), the construction and adaptation of buildings, and the provision of services and other works;

(ii) the provision of plant, machinery, equipment and materials;

(iii) the payment of salaries and wages to persons engaged on the project;

(iv) the payment of fees or other remuneration to technical advisers consulted in connection with the project.”.

Amendment of section 44 of Principal Act.

9.—The following is hereby substituted for section 44 of the Principal Act:

“44.—(1) Where, in the opinion of the Authority, an industrial undertaking conforms to the requirements of sections 33 (3) and 34 (3) of this Act, the Authority may out of funds at its disposal—

(a) purchase or take shares, to any extent it may consider desirable, in the body corporate owning, controlling or managing the undertaking or in a body corporate participating in the ownership, control or management of the undertaking,

(b) form or take part with other persons in the formation of such bodies corporate,

but no shares shall be purchased or taken by the Authority where as a result the Authority would have a majority shareholding in a body corporate, unless the Minister shall have approved of the proposed purchase or taking of shares.

(2) Shares purchased or taken by the Authority under this section shall be registered in the name of the Minister for Finance.

(3) All amounts representing dividends or other moneys received by the Minister for Finance in respect of shares purchased or taken under this section shall be paid into or disposed of for the benefit of the Exchequer in such manner as the Minister for Finance may direct.

(4) The Authority shall not, without the prior permission of the Government, expend more than £1,000,000 in the purchase or taking of shares in a particular body corporate.”.

Amendment of Second Schedule to Principal Act.

10.—The Second Schedule to the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph 6:

“6.—(1) The common seal of the Authority shall, when applied to a document, be attested by the signature of two members or by the signature of a member and an officer or servant of the Authority authorised by it to act in that behalf or by the signature of two officers or servants of the Authority so authorised.

(2) All courts of justice shall take judicial notice of the common seal of the Authority, and every document purporting to be an instrument made by the Authority and to be sealed with the common seal and to be attested in accordance with this paragraph shall, unless the contrary is shown, be received in evidence and be deemed to be that instrument without further proof.”.

Short title, construction and collective citation.

11.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Industrial Development Act, 1977.

(2) The Acts and this Act shall be construed together as one Act and may be cited together as the Industrial Development Acts, 1969 to 1977.

Uimhir 37 de 1977

AN tACHT UM FHORBAIRT TIONSCAIL, 1977

[An tiontú oifigiúil]

[21 Nollaig, 1977]

Mínithe.

1.—San Acht seo—

ciallaíonn “na hAchtanna” na hAchtanna um Fhorbairt Tionscail, 1969 go 1975;

ciallaíonn “an tUdarás” an tUdarás Forbartha Tionscail;

ciallaíonn “an Príomh-Acht” an tAcht um Fhorbairt Tionscail. 1969.

Deontais, etc. chun tionscal a athchóiriú.

2.—(1) Chun athchóiriú tionscail a chur ar aghaidh, féadfaidh an tUdarás, i gcás a bhfaighidh gnóthas tionscail gnóthas tionscail eile go léir nó cuid de nó i gcás a gcónascfaidh dhá ghnóthas tionscail nó níos mó, i dteannta na gcumhachtaí a thugtar don Údarás leis na hAchtanna—

(a) deontas a thabhairt, ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha is cuí leis, chun laghdú ar ús is iníoctha ar iasacht a fuarthas i ndáil le fáil nó cónascadh den sórt sin.

(b) a ráthú go n-aisíocfar go cuí iomlán príomhshuime, nó cuid de phríomhshuim, aon airgid (lena n-áirítear airgead in airgead reatha seachas airgead reatha an Stáit) a gheofar ar iasacht i ndáil le fáil nó cónascadh den sórt sin nó go n-íocfar an t-ús ar an bpríomhshuim sin nó go n-aisíocfar an phríomhshuim agus go n-íocfar an t-ús sin.

(2) Ní thabharfaidh an tUdarás, gan cead roimh ré ón Rialtas, ráthaíocht i leith airgead a gheofar ar iasacht i ndáil le fáil nó cónascadh dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (1) den alt seo i gcás ar mó ná £500,000 méid comhiomlán phríomhshuim aon airgid is ábhar don ráthaíocht.

Deontais fhorbartha fiontar, etc.

3.—(1) Chun duine cuí-cháilithe nárbh úinéir, nó nárbh úinéir ar shlí mhór ar bith, roimhe sin, ar ghnóthas tionscail a spreagadh chun gnóthas tionscail a bhunú, féadfaidh an tUdarás, i dteannta na gcumhachtaí a thugtar dó leis na hAchtanna—

(a) deontas a thabhairt, ar cibé téarmaí agus coinníollacha is cuí leis, chun laghdú ar an ús is iníoctha ar iasacht a fuarthas chun caipiteal oibre a sholáthar do ghnóthas den sórt sin,

(b) a ráthú go n-aisíocfar go cuí iomlán príomhshuime, nó cuid de phríomhshuim, aon airgid (lena n-áirítear airgead in airgead reatha seachas airgead reatha an Stáit) a gheofar ar iasacht i ndáil leis an gcaipiteal oibre do ghnóthas den sórt sin nó go n-íocfar an t-ús ar an bpríomhshuim sin nó go n-aisíocfar an phríomhshuim agus go n-íocfar an t-ús sin.

(2) Ní dhéanfaidh an tUdarás, gan cead roimh ré ón Rialtas, ráthaíocht a thabhairt i leith airgead a gheofar ar iasacht i ndáil le caipiteal oibre do ghnóthas dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt (1) den alt seo ná deontas a thabhairt chun laghdú ar an ús is iníoctha ar iasacht a fuarthas chun caipiteal oibre a sholáthar do ghnóthas den sórt sin, i gcás ar mó san iomlán ná £150,000 méid príomhshuime aon airgid is ábhar don ráthaíocht agus méid an deontais is iníoctha chun laghdú ar an ús.

Cúnamh ón Údarás do thíortha forfhásacha.

4.—Beidh d'fheidhm ag an Údarás, i dteannta na bhfeidhmeanna a shanntar dó le halt 3 den Acht um Fhorbairt Tionscail, 1950, agus le halt 11 den Phríomh-Acht, cúnamh de chineál teicniúil nó comhairleach a sholáthar, de réir mar is cuí leis an Aire, do thír fhorfhásach.

Leasú ar alt 17 den Phríomh-Acht.

5.—(1) Leasaítear leis seo alt 17 (2) (a) (a cuireadh isteach leis an Acht um Fhorbairt Tionscail (Uimh. 2), 1975) den Phríomh-Acht trí “agus na scaireanna a cheannóidh nó a thógfaidh an tUdarás faoi alt 44 den Acht seo agus na ndeontas ón Údarás faoi alt 2 nó 3 den Acht um Fhorbairt Tionscail, 1977” a chur isteach i ndiaidh “alt 15 den Acht seo”.

(2) Leasaítear leis seo alt 17 (2) (a cuireadh isteach leis an Acht um Fhorbairt Tionscail (Uimh. 2), 1975) den Phríomh-Acht tríd an méid seo a leanas a chur in ionad mhír (b):

“(b) Ní rachaidh comhiomlán an airgid a bheidh ráthaithe i leith príomhshuime ag an Údarás faoi alt 37 den Acht seo nó faoi alt 2 nó 3 den Acht um Fhorbairt Tionscail, 1977, agus a bheidh gan aisíoc, agus na n-íocaíochtaí ón Údarás i leith príomhshuime ar scór ráthaíochtaí faoi aon cheann de na hailt sin, thar £100,000,000 tráth ar bith.”.

(3) Leasaítear leis seo alt 17 (arna leasú leis an Acht um Fhorbairt Tionscail (Uimh. 2), 1975) den Phríomh-Acht tríd an méid seo a leanas a chur in ionad fho-alt (3):

“(3) (a) Ní rachaidh comhiomlán na ndeontas faoi alt 12 d'Acht 1952, faoi alt 3 den Acht um Dheontais Tionscail, 1956, agus faoi fho-alt (1) (b) den alt seo (gan aon mhéideanna a áireamh a theastóidh ón Údarás le go bhféadfaidh sé freastal dá oibleagáidí nó dá dhliteanais de bharr ráthaíochtaí faoi alt 37 den Acht seo nó faoi alt 2 nó 3 den Acht um Fhorbairt Tionscail, 1977) thar £400,000,000.

(b) Ní rachaidh comhiomlán na ndeontas a thabharfaidh an tAire don Údarás le go bhféadfaidh sé freastal dá oibleagáidí nó dá dhliteanais de bharr ráthaíochtaí faoi alt 37 den Acht seo nó faoi alt 2 nó 3 den Acht um Fhorbairt Tionscail, 1977, i leith príomhshuime thar £100,000,000.

(c) Maidir le ráthaíocht dá dtagraítear i mír (b) den fho-alt seo agus san fho-alt roimhe seo in airgead in airgead reatha seachas airgead reatha an Stáit, glacfar gurb é atá sna tagairtí do phríomhshuim sna míreanna sin tagairtí do mhéid in airgead reatha an Stáit is cóimhéid leis an bpríomhshuim iarbhír, agus an cóimhéid sin a ríomh de réir an mhéid in airgead reatha an Stáit arb é costas na príomhshuime iarbhír é tráth na ráthaíochta a thabhairt.”.

Leasú ar alt 20 den Phríomh-Acht.

6.—Cuirtear leis seo an t-alt seo a leanas in ionad alt 20 den Phríomh-Acht:

“20.—(1) Féadfaidh an tUdarás, le toiliú an Aire arna thabhairt le comhthoiliú an Aire Airgeadais, cibé suimeanna a bheidh ag teastáil ón Údarás faoi chomhair caiteachais reatha a fháil ar iasacht go sealadach trí chomhshocraíocht le baincéirí.

(2) San alt seo folaíonn ‘caiteachas reatha’ caiteachas ag an Údarás ag feidhmiú aon cheann dá fheidhmeanna, cibé acu is feidhm riaracháin nó feidhm chaipitiúil í.”.

Leasú ar alt 39 den Phríomh-Acht.

7.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 39 den Phríomh-Acht tríd an bhfo-alt seo a leanas a chur isteach i ndiaidh fho-alt (3):

“(4) Ní dhéanfaidh an tUdarás, gan cead roimh ré ón Rialtas, deontas oiliúna ná deontais oiliúna is mó san iomlán na £850,000 a thabhairt i leith gnóthais áirithe.”.

Leasú ar alt 40 den Phríomh-Acht.

8.—Leasaítear leis seo alt 40 den Phríomh-Acht trí “£50,000” a chur in ionad “£15,000” i míreanna (a) agus (b) d'fho-alt (4), agus tá an fo-alt sin, arna leasú amhlaidh, leagtha amach sa Tábla a ghabhann leis an alt seo.

Leasú ar alt 44 den Phríomh-Acht.

9.—Cuirtear leis seo an méid seo a leanas in ionad alt 44 den Phríomh-Acht:

“44.—(1) I gcás arb é tuairim an Údaráis go gcomhlíonann gnóthas tionscail ceanglais ailt 33 (3) agus 34 (3) den Acht seo, féadfaidh an tUdarás, as cistí faoina réir—

(a) scaireanna a cheannach nó a thógáil, a mhéid is inmhianaithe leis, sa chomhlacht corpraithe ar leis an gnóthas nó a rialaíonn nó a bhainistíonn an gnóthas nó i gcomhlacht corpraithe atá rannpháirteach in úinéireacht, i rialú nó i mbainistí an ghnóthais.

(b) comhlachtaí corpraithe den sórt sin a fhoirmiú nó bheith páirteach le daoine eile á bhfoirmiú,

ach ní cheannóidh ná ní thógfaidh an tUdarás scaireanna ar bith i gcás a mbeadh de thoradh air sin go mbeadh tromlach na scaireanna i gcomhlacht corpraithe ag an Údarás, mura mbeidh ceannach nó tógáil na scaireanna, mar a bheidh beartaithe, ceadaithe ag an Aire.

(2) Is in ainm an Aire Airgeadais a chlárófar scaireanna a cheannóidh nó a thógfaidh an tUdarás faoin alt seo.

(3) Déanfar na suimeanna go léir in ionannas díbhinní nó airgid eile a gheobhaidh an tAire Airgeadais i leith scaireanna a cheannófar nó a thógfar faoin alt seo a íoc isteach sa Státchiste nó a chur chun tairbhe don Státchiste i cibé slí a ordóidh an tAire Airgeadais.

(4) Ní chaithfidh an tUdarás, gan cead roimh ré ón Rialtas, thar £1,000,000 ag ceannach nó ag tógáil scaireanna i gcomhlacht corpraithe áirithe.”.

Leasú ar an Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an bPríomh-Acht.

10.—Leasaítear leis seo an Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an bPríomh-Acht tríd an mír seo a leanas a chur in ionad mhír 6:

“6.—(1) Déanfar gnáthshéala an Údaráis, nuair a chuirfear ar dhoiciméad é, a fhianú le síniú beirt chomhaltaí nó le síniú comhalta den Údarás agus oifigigh nó seirbhísigh don Údarás a bheidh údaraithe ag an Údarás gníomhú chuige sin nó le síniú beirt oifigeach nó beirt seirbhíseach don Údarás a bheidh údaraithe amhlaidh.

(2) Tabharfaidh na cúirteanna breithiúnais go léir aird bhreithiúnach ar ghnáthshéala an Údaráis, agus gach doiciméad a airbheartóidh gur ionstraim é a rinne an tUdarás agus a bheith séalaithe leis an ngnáthshéala agus a bheith fianaithe de réir na míre seo glacfar i bhfianaise é, agus measfar gurb í an ionstraim sin é gan a thuilleadh cruthúnais, mura suífear a mhalairt.”.

Gearrtheideal, forléiriú agus comhlua.

11.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht um Fhorbairt Tionscail, 1977, a ghairm den Acht seo.

(2) Forléireofar na hAchtanna agus an tAcht seo le chéile mar aon Acht amháin agus féadfar na hAchtanna um Fhorbairt Tionscail, 1969 go 1977, a ghairm díobh le chéile.