SHEEPSKIN (CONTROL OF EXPORT) ACT, 1934

AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION FOR REGULATING AND CONTROLLING THE EXPORT OF SHEEPSKIN AND FOR PURPOSES CONNECTED WITH THE MATTERS AFORESAID. [30th April, 1934.]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS OF SAORSTÁT EIREANN AS FOLLOWS:—

1 Definitions.

1.—In this Act—

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

the word “sheepskin” means sheepskin from which the wool has not been removed.

2 Order prohibiting export of sheepskin.

2.—(1) The Minister may, whenever and so often as he thinks proper, by order prohibit the export of sheepskin otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence in that behalf issued under this Act, and may so prohibit such export either for so long as such order is in force or for a specified period or for two or more specified discontinuous periods.

• (2) Every order made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made, and, if a resolution annulling such order is passed by either such House at any time during the continuance of such order, such order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under such order.

• (3) The Minister may at any time by order revoke or amend an order previously made by him under this section.

3 Offence of exporting sheepskin.

3.—(1) It shall not be lawful for any person to export, otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence in that behalf issued under this Act, any sheepskin at any time when such export is prohibited by an order made under this Act.

• (2) If any person exports sheepskin in contravention of this section, such person shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.

• (3) Any officer of Customs and Excise may detain and seize any articles being or attempted to be exported in contravention of this section, and for that purpose may open any packet containing, or suspected by him of containing, any such article, and the provisions of the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, in relation to the condemnation and disposal of goods seized under that Act shall apply to all articles seized under this section in like manner as if they had been seized under that Act.

• (4) The provisions of this section relating to the prohibition of the export of articles shall have effect as though those provisions were included in the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, and that Act and any Act amending or extending that Act shall apply accordingly, and if any articles the export of which is prohibited by this section are exported in contravention of this section or are brought to any quay or other place for the purpose of being so exported, or are waterborne to be so exported, the exporter or his agent, shall be liable to the same penalty as that to which a person is liable under section 186 of the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, for illegally importing prohibited goods.

4 Licences to export sheepskin.

4.—The Minister, if he so thinks fit after consulation with the Minister for Agriculture, may at any time issue to any person a licence to export sheepskin at a time when the export of sheepskin otherwise than under licence is prohibited by this Act and the Minister may by such licence fix the quantity of sheepskin which may be exported thereunder and the time within which and the countries to which such sheepskin may be so exported.

5 Short title.

5.—This Act may be cited as the Sheepskin (Control of Export) Act, 1934.