As Ann Déscrolláil
Cuir Déscrolláil ar siúl chun an dá leagan a scrolláil le chéile.
Uimhir 8 de 1959.
AN tACHT UM RIARADH EASTÁT, 1959.
[An tiontó oifigiúil.]
CUID I
Réamhráiteach agus Ginearálta
Gearrtheideal agus tosach feidhme.
1.—(1) Féadfar an tAcht um Riaradh Eastát, 1959, a ghairm den Acht seo.
(2) (a) Tiocfaidh an tAcht seo (ach amháin Codanna II agus III agus alt 26 i gCuid IV) i ngníomh díreach ar é a rith.
(b) Tiocfaidh Codanna II agus III agus alt 26 i gCuid IV den Acht seo i ngníomh an 1ú lá de Mheitheamh, 1959.
Léiriú.
2.—(1) San Acht seo—
ciallaíonn “Acht 1891” an Registration of Title Act, 1891;
ciallaíonn “an Chúirt” an Ard-Chúirt agus, i gcás eastáit dhuine éagtha nuair atá dlínse ag an gCúirt Chuarda agra i leith riaradh an eastáit a éisteacht agus a chinneadh, folaíonn sé an Chúirt Chuarda;
ciallaíonn “ionadaí pearsanta” seiceadóir bunaidh nó seiceadóir trí ionadaíocht, nó riarthóir de thuras na huaire dhuine éagtha;
ní fholaíonn “eastát réadach” airgead atá le teacht de dhroim iontaobhais i leith díol talún ná airgead atá urraithe nó muirearaithe ar thalamh;
ciallaíonn “talamh cláraithe” talamh a bhfuil an teideal chuige cláraithe faoi Acht 1891;
ciallaíonn “Clárlann na nGníomhas” an clárlann a choimeádtar faoin Registration of Deeds Act, 1707;
ciallaíonn an “Registration of Deeds Act, 1707” an reacht Éireannach réamh-Aontachta (6 Anne c. 2 (Ir.)) a ritheadh sa bhliain 1707 agus dar teideal “an Act for the Publick Registering of all Deeds, Conveyances and Wills that shall be made of any Honors, Lands, Tenements or Hereditaments”;
ciallaíonn “talamh neamhchláraithe” talamh nach bhfuil an teideal chuige cláraithe faoi Acht 1891;
folaíonn “uacht” codaisíl.
(2) San Acht seo déanfar tagairtí d'aon achtachán a fhorléiriú mar thagairtí don achtachán sin arna leasú nó arna leathnú le haon achtachán ina dhiaidh sin.
Feidhm Choda II agus Choda III den Acht.
3.—Ní bhainfidh Codanna II agus III den Acht seo le heastát aon duine a d'éag roimh an 1ú lá de Mheitheamh, 1959.
Mionleasuithe agus leasuithe iarmartacha.
4.—I gcás eastáit dhaoine a éagfaidh an 1ú lá de Mheitheamh, 1959, nó dá éis, is faoi réir na mionleasuithe agus na leasuithe iarmartacha a shonraítear i gcolún (3) den Chéad Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo a bheidh feidhm ag na hachtacháin a luaitear i gcolún (2) den Sceideal sin.
Athghairm.
5.—I gcás eastáit dhaoine a éagfaidh an 1ú lá de Mheitheamh, 1959, nó dá éis, tá na hachtacháin a luaitear i gcolún (2) den Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht seo arna n-athghairm an méid a shonraítear i gcolún (3) den Sceideal sin.
CUID II
Cineachadh Eastáit Réadaigh ar Bhás Duine
Cineachadh eastáit réadaigh ar bhás duine.
6.—(1) (a) Faoi réir forálacha na Coda seo den Acht seo, i gcás teideal a bheith ag duine éagtha chun eastáit réadaigh le haghaidh eastáit nó leasa nár scoir ar a bhás, ansin ar é d'fháil bháis, d'ainneoin aon diúscartha thiomnaí, cineachfaidh an céanna chun a ionadaithe pearsanta ó am go ham agus beidh sé dílsithe iontu ionann is dá mba airnéis réadach é a bheadh ag dílsiú iontu.
(b) Chun críocha míre (a) den fho-alt seo—
(i) aon eastát nó leas in eastát réadach a aistreoidh faoi aon bhronntanas in uacht dhuine éagtha a oibríonn mar cheapachán faoi chumhacht ghinearálta chun ceapachán a dhéanamh le huacht, measfar gur eastát nó leas é nár scoir ar a bhás agus a raibh teideal aige chuige,
(ii) aon eastát nó leas in eastát réadach a bhí ag duine éagtha faoi eastát sainoidhrithe, measfar gur eastát nó leas é a scoir ar a bhás, ach aon eastát nó leas eile a bhí ag an éagach i bhfuíoll nó i bhfrithdhílse san eastát réadach sin agus is féidir a dhiúscairt trína uacht, measfar gur eastát nó leas é nár scoir amhlaidh,
(iii) aon eastát nó leas a bhí ag duine éagtha faoi nascthionóntacht, agus aon tionónta ag maireachtáil d'éis an éagaigh, measfar gur eastát nó leas é a scoir ar é d'fháil bháis,
(iv) ar bhás corparáidigh aonair, measfar gur eastát nó leas a scoir ar é d'fháil bháis a eastát nó a leas in eastát réadach na corparáide.
(2) Aon tagairtí atá sna hailt ina dhiaidh seo den Chuid seo den Acht seo d'eastát réadach dhuine éagtha forléireofar iad mar thagairtí don eastát réadach de chuid an duine éagtha a chinneachaigh chun a ionadaithe pearsanta de bhua fo-ailt (1) den alt seo.
Forálacha maidir le riarachán.
7.—(1) Faoi réir na gcumhachtaí, na gceart, na ndualgas agus na ndliteanas a luaitear anseo ina dhiaidh seo san Acht seo, teachtfaidh ionadaithe pearsanta dhuine éagtha a eastát réadach mar iontaobhaithe do na daoine atá ina dteideal de réir dlí, agus beidh ag na daoine sin, faoi réir forálacha an Achta seo, an chumhacht chéanna chun a cheangal go n-aistreofar eastát réadach atá ag daoine atá i dteideal eastáit phearsanta chun a cheangal go n-aistreofaí an t-eastát pearsanta sin.
(2) Faoi réir forálacha an Acht seo, gach achtachán agus riail dlí a bhaineann leis na nithe seo—
(a) éifeacht phrobháide nó litreacha riaracháin maidir le hairnéisí réadacha,
(b) déileáil le hairnéisí réadacha roimh phrobháid nó litreacha riaracháin,
(c) cumhachtaí, cearta, dualgais agus dliteanais ionadaithe pearsanta maidir le heastát pearsanta,
(d) íoc costas riaracháin, agus
(e) gach ní eile maidir le riaradh eastáit phearsanta, beidh feidhm aige,
chomh fada agus is infheidhme an céanna, maidir le heastát réadach ionann is dá mba airnéis réadach é.
(3) (a) I gcás riarachán sócmhainní duine a éagfaidh an 1ú lá de Mheitheamh, 1959, nó dá éis, riarfar a eastát réadach ar an modh céanna, faoi réir na ndliteanas céanna i leith fiacha, costas agus caiteachas agus leis na comhleanúintí céanna, ionann is dá mba eastát pearsanta é.
(b) Ní athróidh aon ní i mír (a) den fho-alt seo an t-ord, ná ní dhéanfaidh sé difir don ord, ina mbeidh, díreach roimh an 1ú lá de Mheitheamh 1959, sócmhainní réadacha agus sócmhainní pearsanta faoi seach inúsáidte chun, nó mar chabhair chun, íoctha caiteachas adhlactha agus caiteachas tiomnach, fiacha nó leagáidí, nó dliteanas eastáit réadaigh a bheidh inmhuirir le haghaidh leagáidí a íoc.
(4) Má éagann duine agus é i seilbh eastáit réadaigh, tabharfaidh an Ard-Chúirt, nuair a bheidh litreacha riaracháin á ndeonú aici, aird ar chearta agus leasa daoine a bhfuil leas acu ina eastát réadach, agus, mura duine dá neasghaolta a oidhre ginearálta, beidh an teideal céanna aige chun a ndeonaithe dó a bheidh ag na neasghaolta, agus féadfar socrú a dhéanamh le rialacha cúirte chun an nós imeachta agus an cleachtas a bhaineann le deonú litreacha riaracháin a chur in oiriúint do chás eastáit réadaigh.
Dliteanas i leith dleachtanna.
8.—Ní dhéanfaidh aon ní sa Chuid seo den Acht seo difir d'aon dleacht is iníoctha i leith eastáit réadaigh, ná ní chuirfidh ar eastát réadach aon dleacht eile seachas an dleacht is iníoctha ina leith díreach roimh an 1ú lá de Mheitheamh, 1959.
Talamh áirithe a eisiamh.
9.—Ní bheidh feidhm ag aon ní sa Chuid seo den Acht seo—
(a) maidir le talamh lena mbaineann Cuid IV d'Acht 1891, ná
(b) maidir le leas i ndáileacht de thalamh neamhthionóntaithe a measfar, faoi alt 5 den Acht Talún, 1946 (Uimh. 12 de 1946), gur airnéis réadach é chun críocha cineachadh iar mbás.
Cosaint d'alt 30 den Conveyancing Act, 1881.
10.—Ní dhéanfaidh aon ní sa Chuid seo den Acht seo difir d'oibriú ailt 30 den Conveyancing Act, 1881.
CUID III
Seiceadóirí agus Rlarthóirí
Seiceadóir seiceadóra ina ionadaí don tiomnóir bunaidh.
11.—(1) (a) Duine arb é seiceadóir seiceadóra aonair thiomnóra é, nó arb é seiceadóir an tseiceadóra dheiridh a mhaireann de sheiceadóirí tiomnóra é, is é seiceadóir an tiomnóra sin é.
(b) Ní bhainfidh mír (a) den fho-alt seo le seiceadóir nach gcruthóidh uacht a thiomnóra, agus, i gcás seiceadóir a fhágfaidh tar éis a bháis seiceadóir éigin eile dá thiomnóir a chruthóidh ina dhiaidh sin uacht an tiomnóra sin, scoirfidh sí d'fheidhm a bheith aici ar phrobháid na huachta sin a dheonú.
(2) An fhad a bheidh réim na hionadaíochta sin gan bhriseadh is é an seiceadóir deiridh sa réim seiceadóir gach tiomnóra roimhe.
(3) Is briseadh ar réim na hionadaíochta sin—
(a) díthiomnacht, nó
(b) faillí thiomnóra i seiceadóir a cheapadh, nó
(c) faillí i bprobháid uachta a fháil,
ach ní briseadh air deonú riaracháin sealadach má dheonaítear probháid ina dhiaidh sin.
(4) Gach duine i réim na hionadaíochta do thiomnóir tá aige na cearta céanna—
(a) i leith eastáit réadaigh agus eastáit phearsanta an tiomnóra sin a bheadh ag an seiceadóir bunaidh dá maireadh sé, agus
(b) tá sé, sa mhéid go bhfuil eastát, réadach nó pearsanta, an tiomnóra sin tagtha faoina láimh, freagrach ionann is dá mba sheiceadóir bunaidh é.
Cumhachtaí lánroghnacha chun riarthóir a cheapadh i gcásanna áirithe.
12.—(1) I gcás duine a éagfaidh an 1ú lá de Mheitheamh 1959, nó dá éis, agus gur dóigh leis an Ard-Chúirt, mar gheall ar chúinsí ar bith, gur gá nó gur fóirsteanach sin a dhéanamh, féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt, d'ainneoin aon achtacháin nó rialach dlí contrártha dó sin, cibé duine is oiriúnach léi a cheapadh chun a bheith ina riarthóir (maille le huacht nó gan uacht) ar eastát an éagaigh ar cibé urrús a thabhairt a ordóidh an Ard-Chúirt, má ordaíonn, agus féadfar gach riarachán den sórt sin a theorannú mar is oiriúnach leis an Ard-Chúirt.
(2) Más rud é, de bhun fo-ailt (1) den alt seo, go ndeonófar riarachán eastáit éagaigh, ní bheidh teideal ag aon duine ná ní thiocfaidh sé i dteideal an t-eastát sin a riaradh gan deonú.
Dílsiú eastát díthiomnóra idir lá a bháis agus an lá a dheonófar riarachán.
13.—I gcás duine d'fháil bháis ina dhíthiomnóir dílseoidh a eastát réadach agus a eastát pearsanta, go dtí go ndeonófar riarachán ina leith, in Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte sa slí chéanna agus an méid céanna a ndílsíodh eastát pearsanta roimhe seo san Oirdeanáire.
Bannaí riaracháin.
14.—(1) Gach duine dá ndeonófar riarachán tabharfaidh sé banna (dá ngairtear banna riaracháin san alt seo) d'Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte ag a mbeidh éifeacht chun tairbhe Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte de thuras na huaire agus, má cheanglaíonn an tOifigeach Probháide nó (i gcás deontais ón gclárlann phrobháide ceantair) an cláraitheoir probháide ceantair air é, le hurra nó le hurraí faoi choinníoll go ndéanfar go cuí eastát réadach agus eastát pearsanta an éagaigh a bhailiú, a chruinniú agus a riaradh.
(2) (a) Beidh gach banna riaracháin faoi bhrí pionóis is comhionann le dhá oiread na méide a mhionnófar is fiú eastát an éagaigh, mura n-ordaí an tOifigeach Probháide nó (i gcás deontais ón gclárlann phrobháide cheantair) an cláraitheoir probháide ceantair sin in aon chás áirithe é a laghdú agus, sa chás sin, féadfaidh an tOifigeach Probháide nó an cláraitheoir probháide ceantair é a laghdú amhlaidh.
(b) Féadfaidh an tOifigeach Probháide nó (i gcás deontais ón gclárlann phrobháide ceantair) an cláraitheoir probháide ceantair a ordú freisin níos mó ná banna riaracháin amháin a thabhairt ionas nach rachaidh dliteanas aon urra thar cibé méid is dóigh leis an Oifigeach Probháide nó an cláraitheoir probháide ceantair (de réir mar a bheidh) a bheith réasúnach.
(3) Is san fhoirm sin a crdóidh Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte, le haon ordú speisialta nó ginearálta, a bheidh banna riaracháin agus beidh sa bhanna sin foráil go n-íocfar na dleachtanna báis uile is iníoctha i leith eastát an éagaigh agus a bhfuil an t-ionadaí pearsanta freagrach iontu agus foráil eile go n-íocfar an cháin ioncaim agus an fhorcháin uile is iníoctha as eastát an éagaigh.
(4) Más deimhin leis an Ard-Chúirt gur briseadh coinníoll banna riaracháin, féadfaidh an Ard-Chúirt, ar iarratas chuige sin, a ordú an banna a shannadh do cibé duine a shonrófar san ordú, agus beidh teideal ag an duine dá sannfar an banna de bhun an ordaithe agra a dhéanamh ina leith ina ainm féin ionann is dá mba dósan a tugadh é ar dtús in ionad é a thabhairt d'Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte agus an méid iomlán is inghnóthaithe mar gheall ar choinníoll an bhanna a bhriseadh a ghnóthú i leith an bhanna mar iontaobhaí gach duine leasmhair.
(5) Ní cheanglóidh aon ní san alt seo ar an bPríomh-Aturnae Stáit ná ar an Aturnae don Ard-Aighne banna riaracháin a thabhairt agus é ag iarraidh nó ag fáil riaracháin chun úsáide nó sochair an Stáit.
Ionadaíocht eastáit réadaigh agus eastáit phearsanta ar leithligh nó le chéile.
15.—Beidh ionadaithe pearsanta ina n-ionadaithe do dhuine éagtha maidir lena eastát réadach agus lena eastát pearsanta, agus féadfar probháid agus litreacha riaracháin a dheonú ar leithligh i leith eastáit réadaigh agus ar leithligh i leith eastáit phearsanta, nó i leith eastáit réadaigh agus eastáit phearsanta i dteannta a chéile, agus féadfar iad a dheonú i leith eastáit réadaigh cé nach bhfuil eastát pearsanta ar bith ann, nó i leith eastáit phearsanta cé nach bhfuil eastát réadach ar bith ann, ar shlí, áfach, más feasach eastát an duine éagtha a bheith dócmhainneach, nach dtéarbhfar an deontas ach amháin maidir le heastát iontaobhais.
Cumhacht chun ionadaíocht a dheonú i gcás gan aon eastát a bheith ann.
16.—Beidh dlínse ag an Ard-Chúirt probháid nó riarachán a dheonú i leith duine éagtha, d'ainneoin nár fhág an t-éagach aon eastát sa Stát, agus deontas de bonis non nó deontas de shórt eile a thabhairt i leith eastáit neamhriartha, d'ainneoin gan aon eastát neamhriartha leis an éagach a bheith sa Stát.
Liostaí deontas.
17.—(1) Cuirfidh Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte faoi deara ó am go ham go n-ullmhófar san Oifig Phrobháide liostaí de na deontais phrobháide agus riaracháin a rinneadh san Oifig Phrobháide agus sna clárlanna probháide ceantair éagsúla in aghaidh cibé tréimhsí a ordóidh Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte.
(2) Beidh i ngach liosta acu sin nóta a inseoidh gach probháid nó riarachán maille le huacht agus gach riarachán eile a deonaíodh sa tréimhse a shonrófar sa liosta agus ina luafar—
(a) dáta an deontais,
(b) an áit (is é sin, an Oifig Phrobháide nó clárlann phrobháide ceantair) inar tugadh an deontas,
(c) ainm, sloinne agus seoladh agus dáta báis an tiomnóra nó an díthiomnóra,
(d) ainmneacha agus tuairiscí na seiceadóirí nó na riarthóirí, agus
(e) luach an eastáit, má b'ann.
(3) Déanfar cóip de gach liosta a ullmhófar amhlaidh a chur tríd an bpost nó ar shlí eile go dtí gach clárlann phrobháide ceantair, agus gach cóip a chuirfear amach amhlaidh coimeádfar í sa chlárlann phrobháide ceantair chun a gcuirfear í.
Cumhachtaí ionadaithe pearsanta chun eastát a dhíol agus chun gníomhú mar iontaobhaithe.
18.—(1) Féadfaidh na hionadaithe pearsanta an t-iomlán nó aon chuid d'eastát réadach nó d'eastát pearsanta dhuine éagtha a dhíol ní amháin chun fiacha a íoc ach freisin (cibé acu atá fiacha ann nó nach bhfuil) chun an t-eastát a dháileadh ar na daoine a bhfuil teideal tairbhiúil acu chuige, agus, sula ndíolfaidh siad é chun a dháilte, déanfaidh na hionadaithe pearsanta, chomh fada agus is féidir sin, éifeacht a thabhairt do mhianta na ndaoine lán-aoiseacha a bhfuil teideal tairbhiúil acu chun na maoine a a bheartaítear a dhíol nó, i gcás díospóide, do mhianta thromlach na ndaoine sin (de réir luach a leasa i dteannta a chéile), ach sin ar shlí—
(a) nach é cúram an cheannaitheora féachaint chuige go ndearna na hionadaithe pearsanta de réir na mianta sin; agus
(b) nach gá d'aon duine a bhfuil teideal tairbhiúil aige toiliú le haon díol den sórt sin.
(2) (a) Ní dleathach do dhaoine áirithe, ná do dhuine amháin, de chomhionadaithe pearsanta, gan cead na Cúirte, aon chumhacht a thugtar le fo-alt (1) den alt seo a fheidhmiú chun aon talamh a dhíol, ach amháin, i gcás probháid a bheith deonaithe do dhuine nó do dhaoine áirithe a bheidh ainmnithe mar sheiceadóirí, cibé acu atá nó nach bhfuil cumhacht forcoimeádta don duine nó do na daoine eile probháid a bhaint amach, go bhféadfaidh an seiceadóir nó na seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach, d'ainneoin aon fhorála nó rialach eile dlí contrártha dó sin, an talamh a dhíol gan cead na Cúirte, chomh hiomlán éifeachtúil agus dá dtoilíodh na daoine uile a ainmníodh mar sheiceadóirí chuige sin.
(b) Má dhéanann an seiceadóir nó na seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach talamh a dhíol faoi mhír (a) den fho-alt seo, beidh éifeacht ag fo-alt (1) den alt seo ionann is dá mba thagairtí don seiceadóir nó do na seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach na tagairtí ann d'ionadaithe pearsanta.
(3) I gcás duine de bheirt seiceadóirí nó níos mó a bhain probháid amach a bheith tar éis bháis, déanfar tagairtí i bhfo-alt (2) den alt seo do sheiceadóirí nó seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach a fhorléiriú mar thagairtí do mharthanóir nó marthanóirí (cibé acu é) na seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach.
(4) Má shocraítear talamh le huacht agus gan aon iontaobhaithe i leith na socraíochta a bheith ann, measfar chun gach críche gurb iad na hionadaithe pearsanta a bhain probháid na huachta amach iontaobhaithe na socraíochta go dtí go gceapfar iontaobhaithe i leith na socraíochta, ach ní mheasfar gur iontaobhaí chun críocha na Settled Land Acts, 1882 to 1890, ionadaí pearsanta aonair go dtí go gceapfar iontaobhaí amháin eile ar a laghad.
Cosaint do cheannaitheoirí bona fide.
19.—(1) Duine a cheannóidh de mhéin mhacánta agus ar luach-chomaoin, ó ionadaithe pearsanta dhuine éagtha, aon mhaoin arb éard é an t-iomlán nó aon chuid d'eastát réadach nó d'eastát pearsanta an duine éagtha beidh teideal aige an mhaoin sin a theachtadh saortha agus urscaoilte ó aon fhiacha nó dliteanais de chuid an duine éagtha, ach amháin cinn a bheidh ina muirir uirthi ar shlí seachas faoi uacht an duine éagtha, agus ó gach éileamh ag na daoine a bhfuil teideal tairbhiúil acu chun an chéanna agus ní bheidh de chúram air féachaint chuige go gcuirfear an t-airgead ceannaigh i gcrích.
(2) (a) Baineann an fo-alt seo le gach maoin seachas maoin a bhfuil a húinéireacht cláraithe faoi Acht 1891.
(b) Duine a cheannóidh de mhéin mhacánta agus ar luach-chomaoin aon mhaoin lena mbaineann an fo-alt seo arb éard é an t-iomlán nó aon chuid d'eastát réadach nó d'eastát pearsanta dhuine éagtha agus a d'aistrigh na hionadaithe pearsanta chun an duine a raibh teideal aige chuici nó ar aontaigh na hionadaithe pearsanta lena dílsiú sa duine a raibh teideal aige chuici beidh teideal aige an mhaoin sin a theachtadh saortha agus urscaoilte ó éilithe ó chreidiúnaithe an duine éagtha ach amháin éilithe a raibh fógra iarbhír nó fógra inchiallaithe faighte ag an gceannaitheoir ina dtaobh an tráth a cheannaigh sé an mhaoin.
Forálacha ginearálta faoi aontú nó aistriú ag na hionadaithe pearsanta.
20.—(1) San alt seo agus in alt 21 den Acht seo—
(a) na tagairtí do thalamh tiomnóra nó díthiomnóra is tagairtí iad do thalamh a raibh teideal ag an tiomnóir nó ag an díthiomnóir chuige nó ar fheidhmigh sé ina leith cumhacht cheapacháin ghinearálta faoi uacht;
(b) maidir le haon eastát nó leas i dtalamh tiomnóra nó díthiomnóra, folaíonn “duine i dteideal”—
(i) an duine nó na daoine (lena n-áirítear ionadaithe pearsanta an tiomnóra nó an díthiomnóra nó aon duine acu) ag a bhfuil (cibé acu trí réadtiomnú, tiomnacht, cineachadh nó ar shlí eile é) teideal tairbhiúil chun an eastáit nó an leasa sin, agus
(ii) iontaobhaí nó iontaobhaithe nó ionadaithe nó ionadaí pearsanta aon duine nó daoine den sórt sin.
(2) Gan dochar d'aon chumhacht eile a thugtar leis an Acht seo d'ionadaithe pearsanta maidir le haon talamh de chuid tiomnóra nó díthiomnóra, féadfaidh na hionadaithe pearsanta, tráth ar bith tar éis bháis an tiomnóra nó an díthiomnóra, aontú a fhorghníomhú ag dílsiú aon eastáit nó leasa in aon talamh den sórt sin sa duine i dteideal an chéanna nó féadfaidh siad aon eastát nó leas den sórt sin a aistriú chun an duine i dteideal an chéanna, agus féadfaidh siad an t-aontú nó an t-aistriú a dhéanamh agus é faoi réir muirir, nó saor ó mhuirear, i leith aon airgead a íoc a dhlífidh na hionadaithe pearsanta a íoc.
(3) I gcás ina ndéanfar aontú nó aistriú faoi fho-alt (2) den alt seo agus é faoi réir muirir i leith an airgid uile a dhlífidh na hionadaithe pearsanta a íoc, má dhlíonn, beidh deireadh le dliteanais uile na n-ionadaithe pearsanta i leith na talún ach amháin maidir le haon ghníomhartha nó conarthaí a rinne siad roimh an aontú nó an t-aistriú.
(4) Tráth ar bith tar éis bliain a bheith caite i ndiaidh báis úinéara talún, má mhainnigh na hionadaithe pearsanta an talamh a aistriú, trí aontú nó ar shlí eile, chun an duine i dteideal ar an duine i dteideal á iarraidh sin, féadfaidh an Chúirt, más cuí léi é, ar an duine i dteideal á iarraidh sin agus tar éis fógra a thabhairt do na hionadaithe pearsanta, a ordú go ndéanfar an t-aistriú agus, mura gcomhlíontar an t-ordú sin laistigh den tréimhse a shonróidh an Chúirt san ordú sin, féadfaidh an Chúirt ordú a dhéanamh ag dílsiú na talún sa duine i dteideal chomh hiomlán éifeachtúil agus a dhéanfaí é dá n-aistreodh na hionadaithe pearsanta an talamh.
(5) Ní bheidh aontú nach aontú i scríbhinn éifeachtúil chun aon eastát nó leas i dtalamh a aistriú.
(6) Na cúnaint reachtúla a bheidh tugtha le tuiscint ag duine a mbeidh sé sainráite i ngníomhas é a bheith ag tíolacadh mar ionadaí pearsanta, beidh siad intuigthe freisin in aon aontú arna shíniú ag ionadaí pearsanta mura bhforála an t-aontú a mhalairt,
(7) Ní dleathach do dhaoine áirithe, ná do dhuine amháin, de chomhionadaithe pearsanta éagsúla, gan cead na Cúirte, aontú ná aistriú a dhéanamh faoin alt seo, ach amháin—
(a) i gcás probháid a dheonú do dhuine amháin nó do dhaoine áirithe de dhaoine éagsúla a bheidh ainmnithe mar sheiceadóirí, cibé acu atá nó nach bhfuil cumhacht forcoimeádta don duine nó do na daoine eile probháid a bhaint amach, go bhféadfaidh an seiceadóir nó na seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach an t-aontú nó t-aistriú sin a dhéanamh, d'ainneoin aon fhorála nó rialach dlí eile contrártha dó sin, gan cead na Cúirte, chomh hiomlán eifeachtúil agus dá dtoilíodh na daoine go léir leis a ainmníodh mar sheicheadóirí;
(b) i gcás an seiceadóir nó na seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach d'fheidhmiú aon chumachta a thugtar le mír (a) den fho-alt seo, go mbeidh éifeacht ag an alt seo agus ag ailt 21 agus 22 ionann is dá mba thagairtí don seiceadóir nó do na seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach na tagairtí atá sna hailt sin d'ionadaithe pearsanta.
(8) I gcás duine de beirt sheiceadóirí nó níos mó a bhain probháid amach a bheith tar éis bháis, déanfar tagairtí i bhfo-alt (7) den alt seo do sheiceadóir nó seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach a fhorléiriú mar thagairtí do mharthanóir nó do mharthanóirí (cibé acu é) na seiceadóirí a bhain probháid amach.
(9) Ní oibreoidh an t-alt seo chun aon dleacht stampa a fhorchur i leith aontú.
Forálacha speisialta maidir le talamh neamhchláraithe.
21.—(1) Aon aontú le heastát nó leas i dtalamh neamhchláraithe de chuid tiomnóra nó díthiomnóra a dhílsiú i bhfabhar an duine i dteideal chuige—
(a) is í scríbhinn a bheidh sé,
(b) beidh sé arna shíniú ag na hionadaithe pearsanta,
(c) measfar, chun críocha an Registration of Deeds Act, 1707, gurb ionann é agus tíolacadh an eastáit nó an leasa sin ó na hionadaithe pearsanta don duine i dteideal,
(d) oibreoidh sé, faoi réir forálacha an Registration of Deeds Act, 1707, maidir le tosaíochtaí, chun an t-eastát nó an leas sin a dhílsiú sa duine i dteideal faoi réir cibé muirear agus eirí a shonrófar, má shonraítear, san aontú agus a dhéanfadh difir ar shlí eile don eastát nó don leas sin,
(e) faoi réir forálacha an Registration of Deeds Act, 1707, measfar (mura léir a mhalairt d'intinn ann) go mbunaíonn sé chun gach críche is gá teideal an duine i dteideal chun cíosanna agus brabús siar go dáta báis an duine éagtha, ar shlí, áfach, nach n-oibreoidh aon ní sa mhír seo chun a chumasú do dhuine ar bith teideal ar neamhréir le huacht an duine éagtha a bhunú.
(2) Aon duine a ndéanfaidh ionadaithe pearsanta ina fhabhar aontú nó tíolacadh aon talún neamhchláraithe, féadfaidh sé, ar a chostas féin, a cheangal ar na hionadaithe pearsanta an t-aontú nó an tíolacadh sin a chlárú i gClárlann na nGníomhas de bhun an Registration of Deeds Act, 1707.
Forálacha speisialta maidir le talamh cláraithe.
22.—(1) In ionad fo-ailt (2) d'alt 37 d'Acht 1891, arna leasú le halt 27 den Acht um Chlárú Teidil, 1942 (Uimh. 26 de 1942), agus leis an Dara Sceideal a ghabhann leis an Acht sin, maidir lena fheidhm i gcás eastát daoine a éagfaidh an lú lá de Mheitheamh, 1959, nó dá éis, cuirfear na fo-ailt seo a leanas:—
“(2) On the death of a sole registered full owner of land or of the survivor of several registered full owners of land, not being registered as tenants in common (which owner or survivor is in the succeeding provisions of this section referred to as the deceased owner), the personal representatives of the deceased owner shall alone be recognised by the registering authority as having any rights in respect of the land, and any registered dispositions by them shall have the same effect, as if they were the registered owners of the land.
(3) The production of an assent or transfer from the personal representatives in the prescribed form shall authorise the registering authority to register the person named in such assent or transfer as the full owner or limited owner of the land, as the case may be.
(4) Where a person is registered as the full owner or limited owner of land under subsection (3) of this section, the costs incurred in connection with the registration shall be borne by that person.
(5) Where the High Court or the Circuit Court makes an order under subsection (4) of section 20 of the Administration of Estates Act, 1959, vesting registered land in any person, it may also order that that person be registered as owner of that land.
(6) (a) Nothing in this Act or in the Administration of Estates Act, 1959, shall operate to require the registering authority to register as the owner of land a person in his capacity as personal representative.
(b) Notwithstanding anything contained in subsection (1) of section 17 of the Registration of Title Act, 1942, the registering authority may enter on the register a note setting out the fact of the death of a registered owner of land and the names of his personal representatives.”
(2) Má tharlaíonn, ar iarratas ó aon duine a bheidh á éileamh go gclárófar é faoi Acht 1891 mar úinéir talún cláraithe i gcomharbas ar lán-úinéir éagtha na talún sin, gur deimhin leis an gCúirt—
(a) sé bliana ar a laghad a bheith caite ó bhás an lán-úinéara éagtha, agus
(b) ionadaithe pearsanta an úinéara sin a bheith marbh nó lasmuigh den dlínse,
féadfaidh an Chúirt más oiriúnach léi, d'ainneoin aon ní in Acht 1891 nó san Acht seo, an t-iarratasóir a shaoradh óna bheith air ionadaíocht don lán-úinéir éagtha a bhaint amach nó óna bheith air fógra a thabhairt dá ionadaithe pearsanta, agus féadfaidh sí a ordú an t-iarratasóir a chlárú mar úinéir na talún.
Dlínse na Cúirte Cuarda faoi Chuid III a fheidhmiú.
23.—Is é an Breitheamh den Chúirt Chuarda a bheidh sannaithe de thuras na huaire don chuaird ina bhfuil an talamh nó aon chuid den talamh a fheidhmeoidh an dlínse, maidir le haon talamh, is infheidhmithe ag an gCúirt Chuarda faoin gCuid seo den Acht seo.
CUID IV
Forálacha Ilghnéitheacha
Clárlanna probháide ceantair.
24.—(1) (a) San fho-alt seo, ciallaíonn “Acht 1936” an tAcht Cúirteanna Breithiúnais, 1936 (Uimh. 48 de 1936)
(b) Chun críocha ailt 65 (a chumasaíonn don Aire Dlí agus Cirt táillí cúirte a ordú) d'Acht 1936, measfar gur oifig a bunaíodh leis an Acht Oifigigh Cúirte, 1926 (Uimh. 27 de 1926), gach clárlann phrobháide ceantair.
(c) Beidh feidhm ag Ordú na Cúirte Uachtaraí agus na hArd-Chúirte (Táillí), 1956 (I.R. Uimh. 251 de 1956), Ordú a rinneadh faoi alt 65 d'Acht 1936, maidir le gach clárlann phrobháide ceantair agus le gach cláraitheoir probháide ceantair fé mar atá feidhm aige maidir leis an Oifig Phrobháide agus leis an Oifigeach Probháide faoi seach, faoi réir na modhnuithe seo a leanas:—
(i) folóidh na tagairtí d'oifigí den Chúirt Uachtarach agus den Ard-Chúirt tagairtí do chlárlann phrobháide ceantair,
(ii) folóidh an tagairt d'oifigeach don Chúirt Uachtarach nó don Ard-Chúirt tagairt do chláraitheoir probháide ceantair,
(iii) folóidh na tagairtí don Oifig Phrobháide agus don Oifigeach Probháide tagairtí do chlárlann phrobháide ceantair agus do chláraitheoir probháide ceantair faoi seach.
(2) (a) I gcás ina mbeidh ceangailte ar dhuine (dá ngairtear an cláraitheoir probháide ceantair gníomhach san fho-alt seo), agus údaraithe dó, de thuras na huaire, ag an Aire Dlí agus Cirt faoi alt 9 den Acht Oifigeach Cúirte, 1945 (Uimh. 25 de 1945), arna leasú le halt 5 den Acht Oifigeach Cúirte, 1951 (Uimh. 8 de 1951), dualgais chláraitheora phrobháide ceantair a chomhlíonadh don cheantar dá bhfónann clárlann phrobháide ceantair áirithe, féadfaidh an tAire sin a údarú d'oifigeach sonraithe a bheidh ag fónamh sa chlárlann phrobháide ceantair sin nó san oifig chúirte cuarda a fhónann don cheantar ina bhfuil an chlárlann phrobháide ceantair sin, oifig chláraitheora phrobháide ceantair don cheantar sin a fheidhmiú le linn an cláraitheoir probháide ceantair gníomhach a bheith as láthair go sealadach nó faoi éagumas sealadach mar gheall ar bhreoiteacht, agus, má dhéanann an tAire sin amhlaidh, ansin, le linn an cláraitheoir sin a bheith as láthair go sealadach amhlaidh nó faoí éagumas sealadach den sórt sin, beidh ag an oifigeach sin agus feidhmeoidh sé cumhachtaí uile, agus comhlíonfaidh sé dualgais uile, an chláraitheora phrobháide ceantair don cheantar sin, mura n-ordóidh agus go dtí go n-ordóidh an tAire sin a mhalairt.
(b) Measfar mír (a) den fho-alt seo a theacht i ngníomh ar theacht i bhfiedhm d'alt 9 den Acht Oifigeach Cúirte, 1945.
Feidhmeanna an Oifigigh Phrobháide a fheidhmiú, etc.
25.—(1) (a) San fho-alt seo—
ciallaíonn “Acht 1926” an tAcht Oifigigh Cúirte, 1926 (Uimh. 27 de 1926);
ciallaíonn “feidhmeanna an Oifigigh Phrobháide faoi Acht 1926” na cumhachtaí, na húdaráis, na dualgais agus na feidhmeanna is infheidhmithe nó is inchomhlíonta ag an Oifigeach Probháide de bhua ailt 9 d'Acht 1926;
ciallaíonn “an tOifigeach Probháide Cúnta”—
(i) maidir le feidhmeanna an Oifigigh Phrobh áide faoi Acht 1926 a fheidhmiú nó a chomhlíonadh roimh dháta an Achta seo a rith—an t-oifigeach a bhí ar fostú san Oifig Phrobháide agus ar ar tugadh nó dár gaireadh an tOifigeach Probháide Cúnta nó an Leas-Oifigeach Probháide,
(ii) maidir le feidhmeanna an Oifigigh Phrobháide faoi Acht 1926 a fheidhmiú nó a chomhlíonadh tar éis an dáta sin—an t-oifigeach atá ar fostú san Oifig Phrobháide agus is gaire i gcéim don Oifigeach Probháide agus atá cáilithe chun a cheaptha ina Oifigeach Probháide.
(b) Féadfaidh an tOifigeach Probháide Cúnta freisin feidhmeanna an Oifigigh Phrobháide faoi Acht 1926 a fheidhmiú nó a chomhlíonadh, ach sin, maidir leis na feidhmeanna sin a fheidhmiú nó a chomhlíonadh ar dháta an Achta seo a rith nó dá éis sin, faoi réir aon sriantachtaí is oiriúnach le hUachtarán na hArd-Chúirte a fhorchur.
(c) Measfar míreanna (a) agus (b) den fho-alt seo a theacht i ngníomh ar theacht i bhfeidhm d'alt 9 d'Acht 1926.
(2) (a) San fho-alt seo ciallaíonn “an t-Oifigeach Probháide Cúnta” an t-oifigeach atá ar fostú san Oifig Phrobháide agus is gaire i gcéim don Oifigeach Probháide agus atá cáilithe chun a cheaptha ina Oifigeach Probháide.
(b) Féadfaidh an tOifigeach Probháide Cúnta freisin na cumhachtaí a thugtar don Oifigeach Probháide le halt 14 den Acht seo a fheidhmiú maidir le heastáit dhaoine a éagfaidh an lú lá de Mheitheamh, 1959, nó dá éis, ach sin faoi réir aon sriantachtaí is oiriúnach le hUachtarán na hArd-Chúirte a fhorchur.
Alt 2 (2) (d) de Reacht na dTréimhsí, 1957, a leasú.
26.—I bhfo-alt (2) d'alt 2 de Reacht na dTréimhsí, 1957 (Uimh. 6 de 1957), cuirfear an mhír seo a leanas in ionad míre (d)—
“(d) Ní bheidh ionadaí pearsanta, i gcáil ionadaí phearsanta dó, ina iontaobhaí chun críocha an Achta seo amháin de bhua ailt i den Executors Act, 1830, nó fo-ailt (1) d'alt 86 d'Acht 1891, nó fo-ailt (1) d'alt 7 den Acht um Riaradh Eastát, 1959.”
AN CHEAD SCEIDEAL
Mionleasuithe agus Leasuithe Iarmartacha maidir le hEastáit Dhaoine a Éagfaidh an 1 Meitheamh, 1959, nó dá éis
Seisiún agus Caibidil nó Uimhir agus Bliain | Gearrtheideal | Leasuithe |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
20 & 21 Vic. c. 79. | The Probates and Letters of Administration Act (Ireland), 1857. | In alt 53, cuirfear an focal “estate” in ionad an fhocail “goods” gach áit a bhfuil an focal deiridh sin. In alt 80, cuirfear na focail “real or” isteach roimh an bhfocal “personal” agus cuirfear na focail “or shall have expired” isteach i ndeireadh an ailt. In alt 84 cuirfear an focal “estate” in ionad an fhocail “effects”. |
An tAcht um Eastáit Díthiomnóirí, 1954. | In alt 4, cuirfear an fo-alt seo a leanas in ionad fo-ailt (2)— “(2) Fulaingeofar agus íocfar an muirear sin i gcomhréir le luachanna an eastáit réadaigh agus an eastáit phearsanta faoi seach ar éag an t-éagach gan tiomna a dhéanamh ina leith.” |
AN DARA SCEIDEAL
Achtacháin a Athghairtear maidir le hEastáit Dhaoine a Éagfaidh an l Meitheamh, 1959, nó dá éis
Cuid I
Acht ó Pharlaimint Shasana a cuireadh i bhfeidhm maidir le hÉireann leis an Acht ó Pharlaimint na hÉireann (10 Henry 7, c. 22 (Ir.)) a ritheadh sa bhliain 1495 agus dar teideal “an Act confirming all the Statutes made in England”
Seisiún agus Caibidil | Teideal | Méid na hAthghairme |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
25 Edw. 3. st. 5. c. 5. | Executors of executors shall have the same rights and duties as the first executors. (1351-2). | An chaibidil iomlán. |
Cuid II
Achtanna ó Pharlaimint Ríocht Aontaithe na Breataine Móire agus na hÉireann a bhí ann roimhe seo
Seisiún agus Caibidil | Gearrtheideal | Méid na hAthghairme |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
5 & 6 Vic. c. 82. | The Stamp Duties (Ireland) Act, 1842. | In alt 35, an focal “personal”. |
20 & 21 Vic. c. 79. | The Probates and Letters of Administration Act (Ireland), 1857. | In alt 50, na focail “over the personal estate of the deceased in all parts of Ireland”; ailt 72, 73, 78, 87, 88 agus 94. |
21 & 22 Vic. c. 56. | The Confirmation of Executors (Scotland) Act, 1858. | Alt 13. |
22 & 23 Vic. c. 31. | The Court of Probate Act (Ireland), 1859. | Ailt 15 agus 25. |
39 & 40 Vic. c. 70. | The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act, 1876. | Ailt 42 agus 43. |
54 & 55 Vic. c. 66. | The Registration of Title Act, 1891. | Fo-ailt (3) agus (4) d'alt 84; i bhfo-alt (2) d'alt 86 na focail go léir ó “save that it shall not be lawful” go dtí deireadh an fho-ailt; alt 87. |
55 & 56 Vic. c. 6. | The Colonial Probates Act, 1892. | An tAcht iomlán. |
Cuid III
Acht ó Oireachtas Shaorstát Éireann
Uimhir agus Bliain | Gearrtheideal | Méid na hAthghairme |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
Uimhir 48 de 1936. | Alt 84. |
Cuid IV
Acht ón Oireachtas
Uimhir agus Bliain | Gearrtheideal | Méid na hAthghairme |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
Uimhir 26 de 1942. | Ailt 20, 21 agus 26. |
Number 8 of 1959.
ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES ACT, 1959.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
Preliminary and General
Section | |
Devolution of Real Estate on Death
Executors and Administrators
Miscellaneous Provisions
Amendment of section 2 (2) (d) of the Statute of Limitations, 1957. |
Acts Referred to | |
No. 12 of 1946 | |
No. 26 of 1942 | |
No. 48 of 1936 | |
No. 27 of 1926 | |
No. 25 of 1945 | |
No. 8 of 1951 | |
No. 6 of 1957 | |
Number 8 of 1959.
ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES ACT, 1959.
PART I
Preliminary And General
Short title and commencement.
1.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Administration of Estates Act, 1959.
(2) (a) This Act (except Parts II and III and section 26 in Part IV) shall come into operation immediately on the passing thereof.
(b) Parts II and III and section 26 in Part IV of this Act shall come into operation on the 1st day of June, 1959.
Interpretation.
2.—(1) In this Act—
“the Act of 1891” means the Registration of Title Act, 1891;
“the Court” means the High Court and includes, in the case of the estate of a deceased person where the Circuit Court has jurisdiction to hear and determine a suit for the administration of the estate, the Circuit Court;
“personal representative” means the executor, original or by representation, or the administrator for the time being of a deceased person;
“real estate” does not include money to arise upon a trust for sale of land or money secured or charged on land;
“registered land” means land the title to which is registered under the Act of 1891;
“the Registry of Deeds” means the registry maintained under the Registration of Deeds Act, 1707;
“the Registration of Deeds Act, 1707” means the pre-union Irish statute (6 Anne c. 2 (Ir.)) passed in the year 1707 and entitled “An Act for the Publick Registering of all Deeds, Conveyances and Wills that shall be made of any Honors, Lands, Tenements or Hereditaments”;
“unregistered land” means land the title to which is not registered under the Act of 1891;
“will” includes codicil.
(2) In this Act references to any enactment shall be construed as references to that enactment as amended or extended by any subsequent enactment.
Operation of Parts II and III of Act.
3.—Parts II and III of this Act shall not apply to the estate of any person dying before the 1st day of June, 1959.
Minor and consequential amendments.
4.—The enactments mentioned in column (2) of the First Schedule to this Act shall, as respects the estates of persons dying on or after the 1st day of June, 1959, have effect subject to the minor and consequential amendments specified in column (3) of that Schedule.
Repeals.
5.—The enactments mentioned in column (2) of the Second Schedule to this Act are, as respects the estates of persons dying on or after the 1st day of June, 1959, repealed to the extent specified in column (3) of that Schedule.
PART II
Devolution Of Real Estate On Death
Devolution of real estate on death.
6.—(1) (a) Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Act, real estate to which a deceased person was entitled for an estate or interest not ceasing on his death shall on his death, notwithstanding any testamentary disposition, devolve on and become vested in his personal representatives from time to time as if it were a chattel real vesting in them.
(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this subsection—
(i) an estate or interest in real estate which passes under any gift contained in the will of a deceased person which operates as an appointment under a general power to appoint by will shall be deemed to be an estate or interest not ceasing on his death to which he was entitled,
(ii) an estate or interest in real estate of a deceased person under an estate tail shall be deemed to be an estate or interest ceasing on his death, but any further estate or interest of the deceased in remainder or reversion in that real estate which is capable of being disposed of by his will shall be deemed to be an estate or interest not so ceasing,
(iii) an estate or interest of a deceased person under a joint tenancy where any tenant survives the deceased shall be deemed to be an estate or interest ceasing on his death,
(iv) on the death of a corporator sole his estate or interest in the corporation's real estate shall be deemed to be an estate or interest ceasing on his death.
(2) References in the subsequent sections of this Part of this Act to the real estate of a deceased person shall be construed as references to the real estate of the deceased which devolves on his personal representatives by virtue of subsection (1) of this section.
Provisions as to administration.
7.—(1) Subject to the powers, rights, duties and liabilities hereinafter mentioned in this Act, the personal representatives of a deceased person shall hold his real estate as trustees for the persons by law entitled thereto, and those persons shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, have the same power of requiring a transfer of real estate as persons entitled to personal estate have of requiring a transfer of such personal estate.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act, all enactments and rules of law relating to—
(a) the effect of probate or letters of administration as respects chattels real,
(b) the dealing with chattels real before probate or letters of administration,
(c) the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of personal representatives in respect of personal estate,
(d) the payment of costs of administration, and
(e) all other matters in relation to the administration of personal estate,
shall, so far as the same are applicable, apply to real estate as if it were a chattel real.
(3) (a) In the administration of the assets of a person dying on or after the 1st day of June, 1959, his real estate shall be administered in the same manner, subject to the same liabilities for debts, costs and expenses and with the same incidents, as if it were personal estate.
(b) Nothing in paragraph (a) of this subsection shall alter or affect the order in which real and personal assets respectively are immediately before the 1st day of June, 1959, applicable in or towards the payment of funeral and testamentary expenses, debts or legacies, or the liability of real estate to be charged with the payment of legacies.
(4) Where a person dies possessed of real estate, the High Court shall, in granting letters of administration, have regard to the rights and interests of persons interested in his real estate, and his heir-at-law, if not one of the next-of -kin, shall be equally entitled to the grant with the next-of-kin, and provision may be made by rules of court for adapting the procedure and practice in the grant of letters of administration to the case of real estate.
Liability for duties.
8.—Nothing in this Part of this Act shall affect any duty payable in respect of real estate or impose on real estate any other duty than is payable in respect thereof immediately before the 1st day of June, 1959.
Exclusion of certain land.
9.—Nothing in this Part of this Act shall apply to—
(a) land to which Part IV of the Act of 1891 applies, or
(b) an interest in a parcel of untenanted land which, under section 5 of the Land Act, 1946 (No. 12 of 1946), is, for the purposes of devolution on death, to be deemed to be a chattel real.
Saving for section 30 of Conveyancing Act, 1881.
10. Nothing in this Part of this Act shall affect the operation of section 30 of the Conveyancing Act, 1881,
PART III
Executors and Administrators
Executor of executor represents original testator.
11.—(1) (a) An executor of a sole or last surviving executor of a testator is the executor of that testator.
(b) Paragraph (a) of this subsection does not apply to an executor who does not prove the will of his testator, and, in the case of an executor who on his death leaves surviving him some other executor of his testator who afterwards proves the will of that testator, it shall cease to apply on such probate being granted.
(2) So long as the chain of such representation is unbroken, the last executor in the chain is the executor of every preceding testator.
(3) The chain of such representation is broken by—
(a) an intestacy, or
(b) the failure of a testator to appoint an executor, or
(c) the failure to obtain probate of a will,
but is not broken by a temporary grant of administration if probate is subsequently granted.
(4) Every person in the chain of representation to a testator—
(a) has the same rights in respect of the real and personal estate of that testator as the original executor would have had if living, and
(b) is, to the extent to which the estate, whether real or personal, of that testator has come to his hands, answerable as if he were an original executor.
Discretionary powers to appoint administrator in certain cases.
12.—(1) Where a person dies on or after the 1st day of June, 1959, and by reason of any circumstances it appears to the High Court to be necessary or expedient to do so, the High Court may, notwithstanding any enactment or rule of law to the contrary, appoint such person as it thinks fit to be administrator (with or without will annexed) of the estate of the deceased upon giving such security, if any, as the High Court may direct, and every such administration may be limited as the High Court thinks fit.
(2) Where, in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section, a grant of administration of the estate of a deceased is made, no person shall be or become entitled to administer that estate without a grant.
Vesting of estate of intestate between death and grant of administration.
13.—Where a person dies intestate, his real and personal estate, until administration is granted in respect thereof, shall vest in the President of the High Court in the same manner and to the same extent as formerly in the case of personal estate it vested in the Ordinary.
Administration bonds.
14.—(1) Every person to whom a grant of administration is made shall give a bond (in this section referred to as an administration bond) to the President of the High Court to inure for the benefit of the President of the High Court for the time being and, if the Probate Officer or (in the case of a grant from the district probate registry) the district probate registrar so requires, with one or more surety or sureties conditioned for duly collecting, getting in, and administering the real and personal estate of the deceased.
(2) (a) An administration bond shall be in a penalty of double the amount at which the estate of the deceased is sworn, unless the Probate Officer or (in the case of a grant from the district probate registry) the district probate registrar shall in any case direct it to be reduced, in which case the Probate Officer or the district probate registrar may do so.
(b) The Probate Officer or (in the case of a grant from the district probate registry) the district probate registrar may also direct that more administration bonds than one shall be given, so as to limit the liability of any surety to such amount as the Probate Officer or the district probate registrar (as the case may be) shall think reasonable.
(3) An administration bond shall be in such form as the President of the High Court shall by any special or general order direct, and shall include a provision for payment of all death duties payable in respect of the estate of the deceased for which the personal representative is accountable and a further provision for the payment of all income tax and sur-tax payable out of the estate of the deceased.
(4) Where it appears to the satisfaction of the High Court that the condition of an administration bond has been broken, the High Court may, on application in that behalf, order that the bond be assigned to such person as may be specified in the order, and the person to whom the bond is assigned in pursuance of the order shall be entitled to sue thereon in his own name as if it had been originally given to him instead of to the President of the High Court and to recover thereon as trustee for all persons interested the full amount recoverable in respect of the breach of the condition thereof.
(5) Nothing in this section shall require the Chief State Solicitor or the Solicitor for the Attorney General, when applying for or obtaining administration for the use or benefit of the State, to give an administration bond.
Representation of real and personal estate separately or together.
15.—Personal representatives shall be the representatives of a deceased person in regard to his real estate as well as in regard to his personal estate, and probate and letters of administration may be granted either separately in respect of real estate and in respect of personal estate, or in respect of real estate together with personal estate, and may be granted in respect of real estate although there is no personal estate, or in respect of personal estate although there is no real estate, so, however, that, where the estate of the deceased person is known to be insolvent, the grant shall not be severed except as regards a trust estate.
Power to grant representation where no estate.
16.—The High Court shall have jurisdiction to make a grant of probate or administration in respect of a deceased person, notwithstanding that the deceased left no estate in the State, and to make a de bonis non or other form of grant in respect of unadministered estate, notwithstanding that there is no unadministered estate of the deceased in the State.
Calendars of grants.
17.—(1) The President of the High Court shall from time to time cause to be prepared in the Probate Office calendars of the grants of probate and administration made in the Probate Office and in the several district probate registries for such periods as the President of the High Court may direct.
(2) Every such calendar shall contain a note of every probate or administration with the will annexed and of every other administration granted within the period specified in the calendar, setting forth—
(a) the date of the grant,
(b) the place (being the Probate Office or a district probate registry) in which the grant was made,
(c) the name and address and the date of death of the testator or intestate,
(d) the names and descriptions of the executors or administrators, and
(e) the value of the estate, if any.
(3) A copy of every calendar so prepared shall be sent by post or otherwise to every district probate registry, and every copy so sent shall be kept in the district probate registry to which it is sent.
Powers of personal representatives to sell and to act as trustees.
18.—(1) The personal representatives may sell the whole or any part of the real or personal estate of a deceased person for the purpose not only of paying debts, but also (whether there are or are not debts) of distributing the estate among the persons beneficially entitled thereto, and before selling for the purposes of distribution the personal representatives shall, so far as practicable, give effect to the wishes of the persons of full age beneficially entitled to the property proposed to be sold or, in the case of dispute, of the majority (according to the value of their combined interests) of such persons so, however, that—
(a) a purchaser shall not be concerned to see that the personal representatives have complied with such wishes; and
(b) it shall not be necessary for any person beneficially entitled to concur in any such sale.
(2) (a) It shall not be lawful for some or one only of several joint personal representatives, without leave of the Court, to exercise any power conferred by subsection (1) of this section to sell any land, save that where probate is granted to one or several persons named as executors, whether or not power is reserved to the other or others to prove, the sale of the land may, notwithstanding any other provision or rule of law to the contrary, be made by the proving executor or executors, without leave of the Court, as fully and effectually as if all the persons named as executors had concurred therein.
(b) Where a sale of land is made under paragraph (a) of this subsection by the proving executor or executors, subsection (1) of this section shall have effect as if the references therein to personal representatives were references to the proving executor or executors.
(3) Where one of two or more proving executors has died, references in subsection (2) of this section to a proving executor or executors shall be construed as references to the survivor or survivors (as the case may be) of the proving executors.
(4) Where land is settled by will and there are no trustees of the settlement, the personal representatives proving the will shall for all purposes be deemed to be trustees of the settlement until trustees of the settlement are appointed, but a sole personal representative shall not be deemed to be a trustee for the purposes of the Settled Land Acts, 1882 to 1890, until at least one other trustee is appointed.
Protection of bona fide purchasers.
19.—(1) A purchaser, in good faith and for value, from the personal representatives of a deceased person, of any property, being the whole or any part of the real or personal estate of the deceased person, shall be entitled to hold that property freed and discharged from any debts or liabilities of the deceased person, except such as are charged otherwise than by the will of the deceased person, and from all claims of the persons beneficially entitled thereto, and shall not be concerned to see to the application of the purchase money.
(2) (a) This subsection applies to all property other than property the ownership of which is registered under the Act of 1891.
(b) A purchaser in good faith and for value of any property to which this subsection applies, being the whole or any part of the real or personal estate of a deceased person, which has been transferred by the personal representatives to the person entitled thereto or to the vesting of which in the person entitled thereto the personal representatives have assented, shall be entitled to hold that property freed and discharged from the claims of creditors of the deceased person except claims of which the purchaser had actual or constructive notice at the time of his purchase.
General provisions as to assent or transfer by personal representatives.
20.—(1) In this section and in section 21 of this Act—
(a) references to the land of a testator or intestate are references to land to which the testator or intestate was entitled or over which he exercised a general power of appointment by will;
(b) “person entitled” includes, in relation to any estate or interest in the land of a testator or intestate—
(i) the person or persons (including the personal representatives of the testator or intestate or any of them) who (whether by devise, bequest, devolution or otherwise) may be beneficially entitled to that estate or interest, and
(ii) the trustee or trustees or the personal representatives or representative of any such person or persons.
(2) Without prejudice to any other power conferred by this Act on personal representatives with respect to any land of a testator or intestate, the personal representatives may at any time after the death of the testator or intestate execute an assent vesting any estate or interest in any such land in the person entitled thereto or may transfer any such estate or interest to the person entitled thereto, and may make the assent or transfer either subject to or free from a charge for the payment of any money which the personal representatives are liable to pay.
(3) Where an assent or transfer under subsection (2) of this section is made subject to a charge for all moneys, if any, which the personal representatives are liable to pay, all liabilities of the personal representatives in respect of the land shall cease, except as to any acts done or contracts entered into by them before the assent or transfer.
(4) At any time after the expiration of one year from the death of an owner of land, if the personal representatives have failed on the request of the person entitled to transfer, by assent or otherwise, the land to the person entitled, the Court may, if it thinks fit, on the application of the person entitled and after notice to the personal representatives, order that the transfer be made, and, in default of compliance with that order within the time specified therein by the Court, may make an order vesting the land in the person entitled as fully and effectually as might have been done by a transfer thereof by the personal representatives.
(5) An assent not in writing shall not be effectual to pass any estate or interest in land.
(6) The statutory covenants implied by a person being expressed in a deed to convey as personal representative shall also be implied in any assent signed by a personal representative unless the assent Otherwise provides.
(7) It shall not be lawful for some or one only of several joint personal representatives, without leave of the Court, to make an assent or transfer under this section, save that—
(a) where probate is granted to one or some of several persons named as executors, whether or not power is reserved to the others or other to prove, such assent or transfer may, notwithstanding any other provision or rule of law to the contrary, be made by the proving executor or executors, without leave of the Court, as fully and effectually as if all the persons named as executors had concurred therein;
(b) where the proving executor or executors exercise any power conferred by paragraph (a) of this subsection, this section and sections 21 and 22 shall have effect as if references therein to personal representatives were references to the proving executor or executors.
(8) Where one of two or more proving executors has died, references in subsection (7) of this section to a proving executor or executors shall be construed as references to the survivor or survivors (as the case may be) of the proving executors,
(9) This section shall not operate to impose any stamp duty in respect of an assent.
Special provisions as to unregistered land.
21.—(1) An assent to the vesting of any estate or interest in unregistered land of a testator or intestate in favour of the person entitled thereto shall—
(a) be in writing,
(b) be signed by the personal representatives,
(c) be deemed, for the purposes of the Registration of Deeds Act, 1707, to be a conveyance of that estate or interest from the personal representatives to the person entitled,
(d) operate, subject to the provisions of the Registration of Deeds Act, 1707, with respect to priorities, to vest that estate or interest in the person entitled subject to such charges and incumbrances, if any, as may be specified in the assent and as may otherwise affect that estate or interest,
(e) subject to the provisions of the Registration of Deeds Act, 1707, be deemed (unless a contrary intention appears therein) for all purposes necessary to establish the title of the person entitled to intervening rents and profits to relate back to the death of the deceased person so, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall operate to enable any person to establish a title inconsistent with the will of the deceased person.
(2) Any person in whose favour an assent or conveyance of any unregistered land is made by personal representatives may at his own expense require the personal representatives to register that assent or conveyance in the Registry of Deeds pursuant to the Registration of Deeds Act, 1707.
Special provisions as to registered land.
22.—(1) For subsection (2) of section 37 of the Act of 1891, as amended by section 27 of and the Second Schedule to the Registration of Title Act, 1942 (No. 26 of 1942), in its application to the estates of persons dying on or after the 1st day of June, 1959, there shall be substituted the following subsections:—
“(2) On the death of a sole registered full owner of land or of the survivor of several registered full owners of land, not being registered as tenants in common (which owner or survivor is in the succeeding provisions of this section referred to as the deceased owner), the personal representatives of the deceased owner shall alone be recognised by the registering authority as having any rights in respect of the land, and any registered dispositions by them shall have the same effect, as if they were the registered owners of the land.
(3) The production of an assent or transfer from the personal representatives in the prescribed form shall authorise the registering authority to register the person named in such assent or transfer as the full owner or limited owner of the land, as the case may be.
(4) Where a person is registered as the full owner or limited owner of land under subsection (3) of this section, the costs incurred in connection with the registration shall be borne by that person.
(5) Where the High Court or the Circuit Court makes an order under subsection (4) of section 20 of the Administration of Estates Act, 1959, vesting registered land in any person, it may also order that that person be registered as owner of that land.
(6) (a) Nothing in this Act or in the Administration of Estates Act, 1959, shall operate to require the registering authority to register as the owner of land a person in his capacity as personal representative.
(b) Notwithstanding anything contained in subsection (1) of section 17 of the Registration of Title Act, 1942, the registering authority may enter on the register a note setting out the fact of the death of a registered owner of land and the names of his personal representatives.”
(2) Where, on the application of any person claiming to be registered under the Act of 1891 as owner of registered land in succession to a deceased full owner of such land the Court is satisfied—
(a) that at least six years have elapsed since the death of the deceased full owner, and
(b) that the personal representatives of such owner are dead or out of the jurisdiction,
the Court may, if it thinks fit, notwithstanding anything in the Act of 1891 or this Act, dispense the applicant from the necessity of raising representation to the deceased full owner or of giving notice to his personal representatives, and may order that the applicant be registered as owner of the land.
Exercise of jurisdiction of Circuit Court under Part III.
23.—The jurisdiction, in relation to any land, exereisable by the Circuit Court under this Part of this Act shall be exercised by the judge of the Circuit Court for the time being assigned to the circuit where the land or any part of the land is situate.
PART IV
Miscellaneous Provisions
District probate registries.
24.—(1) (a) In this subsection, “the Act of 1936” means the Courts of Justice Act, 1936 (No. 48 of 1936).
(b) For the purposes of section 65 (which empowers the Minister for Justice to prescribe court fees) of the Act of 1936, every district probate registry shall be deemed to be an office established by the Court Officers Act, 1926 (No. 27 of 1926).
(c) The Supreme Court and High Court (Fees) Order, 1956 (S.I. No. 251 of 1956), which said Order was made under section 65 of the Act of 1936, shall apply in respect of each district probate registry and each district probate registrar as it applies to the Probate Office and the Probate Officer respectively subject to the following modifications:—
(i) the references to offices of the Supreme Court and High Court shall include references to a district probate registry,
(ii) the reference to an officer of the Supreme Court or the High Court shall include a reference to a district probate registrar,
(iii) the references to the Probate Office and the Probate Officer shall include references to a district probate registry and a district probate registrar respectively.
(2) (a) Where a person (in this subsection referred to as the acting district probate registrar) is for the time being required and authorised, by the Minister for Justice under section 9 of the Court Officers Act, 1945 (No. 25 of 1945), as amended by section 5 of the Court Officers Act, 1951 (No. 8 of 1951), to perform the duties of district probate registrar for the district served by a particular district probate registry, the said Minister may authorise a specified officer serving in that district probate registry or in the circuit court office which serves the area within which such district probate registry is located to execute, during the temporary absence or temporary incapacity through illness of the acting district probate registrar, the office of district probate registrar for that district and, if the said Minister does so, then such officer shall, during any such temporary absence or temporary incapacity, have and exercise all the powers and fulfil all the duties of the district probate registrar for that district unless and until the said Minister otherwise directs.
(b) Paragraph (a) of this subsection shall be deemed to have come into operation on the commencement of section 9 of the Court Officers Act, 1945.
Exercise, etc., of functions of the Probate Officer.
25.—(1) (a) In this subsection—
“the Act of 1926” means the Court Officers Act, 1926 (No. 27 of 1926);
“the functions of the Probate Officer under the Act of 1926” means the powers, authorities, duties and functions exercisable or performable by the Probate Officer by virtue of section 9 of the Act of 1926;
“the Assistant Probate Officer” means—
(i) as respects the exercise or performance before the date of the passing of this Act of the functions of the Probate Officer under the Act of 1926—the officer employed in the Probate Office who was known as or designated the Assistant Probate Officer or the Deputy Probate Officer,
(ii) as respects the exercise or performance on or after that date of the functions of the Probate Officer under the Act of 1926—the officer employed in the Probate Office who is next in rank to the Probate Officer and is qualified to be appointed to be Probate Officer.
(b) The functions of the Probate Officer under the Act of 1926 may also, but subject, as respects the exercise or performance of those functions on or after the date of the passing of this Act, to any restrictions which the President of the High Court may think fit to impose, be exercised or performed by the Assistant Probate Officer.
(c) Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection shall be deemed to have come into operation on the commencement of section 9 of the Act of 1926.
(2) (a) In this subsection “the Assistant Probate Officer” means the officer employed in the Probate Office who is next in rank to the Probate Officer and is qualified to be appointed to be Probate Officer.
(b) The powers conferred on the Probate Officer by section 14 of this Act may, as respects the estates of persons dying on or after the 1st day of June, 1959, also, but subject to any restrictions which the President of the High Court may think fit to impose, be exercised by the Assistant Probate Officer.
Amendment of section 2 (2) (d) of the Statute of Limitations, 1957.
26.—In subsection (2) of section 2 of the Statute of Limitations, 1957 (No. 6 of 1957), there shall be substituted for paragraph (d) the following paragraph—
“(d) A personal representative in the capacity of personal representative shall not, by reason only of section 1 of the Executors Act, 1830, or subsection (1) of section 86 of the Act of 1891, or subsection (1) of section 7 of the Administration of Estates Act, 1959, be a trustee for the purposes of this Act.”.
FIRST SCHEDULE
Minor and Consequential Amendments as Respects Estates of Persons Dying on or after 1st June, 1959
Session and Chapter or Number and Year | Short Title | Amendments |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
20 & 21 Vic. c. 79. | The Probates and Letters of Administration Act (Ireland), 1857. | In section 53, the word “estate” shall be substituted for the word “goods” wherever the latter word occurs. |
In section 80, the words “real or” shall be inserted before the word “personal” and the words “or shall have expired” shall be inserted at the end of the section. | ||
In section 84, the word “estate” shall be substituted for the word “effects”. | ||
No. 12 of 1954. | The Intestates' Estates Act, 1954. | In section 4, there shall be substituted for subsection (2) the following subsection— |
“(2) Such charge shall be borne and paid in proportion to the, values of the real and personal estates respectively as to which the deceased dies intestate.”. |
SECOND SCHEDULE
Enactments Repealed As Respects Estates Of Persons Dying On Or After 1st June, 1959
Part I
Act of the Parliament of England applied to Ireland by the Act of the Parliament of Ireland (10 Henry 7, c. 22 (Ir.)) passed in the year 1495 and entitled “an Act confirming all the Statutes made in England”
Session and Chapter | Title | Extent of Repeal |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
25 Edw.3.st.5.c. 5. | Executors of executors shall have the same rights and duties as the first executors. (1351-2). | The whole chapter. |
Part II
Acts of the Parliament of the late United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Session and Chapter | Short Title | Extent of Repeal |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
5 & 6 Vic. c. 82. | The Stamp Duties (Ireland) Act, 1842. | In section 35, the word “personal”. |
20 & 21 Vic. c. 79. | The Probates and Letters of Administration Act (Ireland), 1857. | In section 50, the words “over the personal estate of the deceased in all parts of Ireland”; sections 72, 73, 78,87, 88 and 94. |
21 & 22 Vic. c. 56. | The Confirmation of Executors (Scotland) Act, 1858. | Section 13. |
22 & 23 Vic. c. 31. | The Court of Probate Act (Ireland), 1859. | Sections 15 and 25. |
39 & 40 Vic. c. 70. | The Sheriff Courts (Scotland) Act, 1876. | Sections 42 and 43. |
54 & 55 Vic. c.66. | The Registration of Title Act, 1891. | Subsections (3) and (4) of section 84; in subsection (2) of section 86, all words from “save that it shall not be lawful” to the end of the subsection; section 87. |
55 & 56 Vic. c. 6. | The Colonial Probates Act, 1892. | The whole Act. |
Part III
Act of the Oireachtas of Saorstát Éireann
Number and Year | Short Title | Extent of Repeal |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
No. 48 of 1936. |
Part IV
Act of The Oireachtas
Number and Year | Short Title | Extent of Repeal |
(1) | (2) | (3) |
No. 26 of 1942. | Sections 20, 21 and 26. |