Agricultural Credit Act, 1961
What is this act about?
This law, the Agricultural Credit Act, 1961, amends and expands previous agricultural credit laws. It primarily deals with the financial structure and operations of the Agricultural Credit Corporation.
Who it applies to: The Agricultural Credit Corporation; The Minister for Finance and the Minister for Agriculture.
At a glance
- Country
- Ireland
- Area of law
- Environment and agriculture
- Articles
- 17
- Source
- irishstatutebook.ie
- Text retrieved
- Explanation updated
What does this act regulate?
- The capital and borrowing powers of the Agricultural Credit Corporation.
- Guarantees provided by the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister for Finance for the Corporation's financial activities.
- The holding and transfer of the Corporation's capital (stock units or shares).
- The Corporation's participation in agricultural schemes and projects.
Who does this act apply to?
- The Agricultural Credit Corporation.
- The Minister for Finance and the Minister for Agriculture.
What are the key points?
- The Corporation's capital can be increased to a total not exceeding two million pounds.
- The Corporation's outstanding borrowings at any one time shall not exceed ten million pounds.
- The Minister for Agriculture can guarantee the Corporation against losses up to five million pounds of principal.
- The Minister for Finance can guarantee the Corporation's borrowings, with the total principal guaranteed not exceeding ten million pounds.
Environment and agriculture
Legal text
Legal text
Agricultural Credit Act, 1961 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1961 Agricultural Credit Act, 1961 Agricultural Credit Act, 1961 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 13 of 1961.
AGRICULTURAL CREDIT ACT, 1961.
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section
Section 1
Interpretation.
Section 2
Increase of capital of the Corporation.
Section 3
Borrowing power of the Corporation.
Section 4
Guarantee by the Minister for Agriculture of the Corporation against losses.
Section 5
Guarantees by the Minister of borrowings by the Corporation.
Section 6
Provisions in relation to the holding of capital of the Corporation.
Section 7
Amendment of section 9 of the Principal Act.
Section 8
Participation by the Corporation in certain schemes and projects relating to agriculture.
Section 9
Charging moneys advanced or paid by the Corporation on land.
Section 10
Amendment of section 12 of the Act of 1947.
Section 11
Amendment of section 13 of the Act of 1947.
Section 12
Amendment of section 21 of the Act of 1947.
Section 13
Amendment of sections 39, 42 and 48 of the Act of 1947.
Section 14
Alterations in memorandum and articles of association of the Corporation.
Section 15
Advances out of the Central Fund.
Section 16
Repeals.
Section 17
Short title, construction and collective citation.
SCHEDULE Enactments Repealed.
Acts Referred to Agricultural Credit Act, 1947 1947, No. 14 Agricultural Credit Act, 1927 1927, No. 24 Land Act, 1939 1939, No. 26 Number 13 of 1961.
AGRICULTURAL CREDIT ACT, 1961.
AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE AGRICULTURAL CREDIT ACTS, 1927 TO 1947. [30th May, 1961.] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:— Interpretation.
1.—In this Act— “the Act of 1947” means the Agricultural Credit Act, 1947 ; “the Acts” means the Agricultural Credit Acts, 1927 to 1947; “the Minister” means the Minister for Finance; “the Principal Act” means the Agricultural Credit Act, 1927 .
Increase of capital of the Corporation.
2.—Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Acts or the memorandum or articles of association of the Corporation, it shall be lawful for the Corporation, subject to the consent of the Minister, to increase its capital to a total not exceeding two million pounds divided into stock units or shares of ten shillings each or such other denomination or denominations as shall be in accordance with the memorandum and articles of association of the Corporation and, if it so thinks fit, to divide the stock units or shares into different classes and to attach different rights to the units or shares of different classes and for those purposes to make such alterations as may be requisite in the memorandum and articles of association.
Borrowing power of the Corporation.
3.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the Corporation shall have power for the purposes of the Corporation to raise or borrow money in any manner it thinks fit.
Guarantee by the Minister for Agriculture of the Corporation against losses.
4.—(1) The Minister for Agriculture may, with the consent of the Minister— (a) guarantee the Corporation, in such form and manner and on such terms and conditions as he may specify with the consent of the Minister, the due repayment of the principal of any moneys paid by the Corporation on foot of loans, advances, guarantees to persons in relation to the payment of moneys by other persons or other credit facilities (including hire-purchase facilities) given, provided or arranged by the Corporation or in respect of which it undertakes any commitments or the payment of interest on such principal or both the repayment of the principal and the payment of the interest, and (b) recoup the Corporation, on foot of a guarantee under this section, on such terms and conditions as he may specify with the consent of the Minister, in respect of any losses incurred by the Corporation in relation to such loans, advances, guarantees or other credit facilities.
Guarantees by the Minister of borrowings by the Corporation.
5.—(1) The Minister may guarantee, in such form and manner and on such terms and conditions as he thinks fit, the due repayment by the Corporation of the principal of any moneys raised or borrowed by the Corporation or the payment of interest on such moneys or both the repayment of the principal and the payment of the interest.
Provisions in relation to the holding of capital of the Corporation.
6.—(1) (a) Stock units or shares of the Corporation may be issued, allotted, transferred and sold by the Corporation to persons other than the Minister. (b) The power conferred by paragraph (a) of this subsection shall not be exercisable at any particular time without the consent of the Minister if the Minister holds at that time not less than one-half in nominal value of the issued capital of the Corporation.
Amendment of section 9 of the Principal Act.
7.—(1) Section 9 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by— (a) the substitution for subsection (1) of the following subsection, namely: “(1) The objects of the Corporation shall be so stated in its memorandum of association that its principal functions shall include— (a) (i) lending and advancing money, subject to the provisions of this Act, as amended by any subsequent Act, (ii) acquiring, underwriting, holding, selling, and otherwise dealing with, shares, stocks, debentures, debenture stocks and other securities of any body corporate, (iii) drawing, accepting, endorsing, discounting, purchasing, and otherwise dealing with, bills of exchange, promissory notes and other negotiable instruments, (iv) providing such other credit facilities as it thinks proper (including giving guarantees to any person in relation to the payment of moneys, and of interest on the moneys, or the repayment of moneys paid by that person on foot of loans, advances or other credit facilities granted by that person and the payment of interest on such moneys), (v) engaging in the provision of hire-purchase facilities and for that purpose acquiring, disposing of and otherwise dealing with stock (within the meaning of section 21 of the Agricultural Credit Act, 1947 , as amended by any subsequent enactment), and (vi) arranging for the provision of credit facilities for any person by any other person (and acting as agent for any person in relation to the payment and collection and receipt of moneys in respect of such facilities), for any purpose which, in the opinion of the Corporation will, or is likely to, increase the productivity of, or be otherwise of benefit to, agriculture or horticulture, on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Corporation thinks fit, and (b) the receipt, on such terms and subject to such conditions as the Corporation thinks proper,of deposits of money from co-operative societies and the receipt of deposits of securities for safe-keeping and management and, so far as may be lawful, the execution of trusts in relation to the securities.”, and (b) the substitution of “Agricultural Credit Acts, 1927 to 1961” for “this Act” in subsection (2).
Participation by the Corporation in certain schemes and projects relating to agriculture.
8.—The following section is hereby substituted for section 13 of the Principal Act, namely: “13. (1) The Corporation may, if it so thinks fit and after such alteration of its memorandum and articles of association as it deems necessary, do all or any of the following: (a) undertake, promote, engage or participate in, manage or supervise any scheme or project which, in the opinion of the Corporation, will, or is likely to, increase the productivity of, or be otherwise of benefit to, agriculture or horticulture, (b) appoint and remunerate clerical, technical and managerial staff for schemes and projects referred to in paragraph (a) of this section and assist and advise in relation to the appointment of such staff, (c) provide the whole or part of the moneys required for any scheme or project referred to in paragraph (a) of this section, (d) agree with the undertakers or promoters of any scheme or project referred to in paragraph (a) of this sectionto pay and discharge the whole or a part of any losses incurred by them in relation to that scheme or project, (e) form or take part in the formation of bodies corporate for the purpose of undertaking, promoting, engaging or participating in, managing or supervising schemes or projects referred to in paragraph (a) of this section and acquire, hold and dispose of the capital, or such part of the capital as it thinks fit, of any such bodies corporate, (f) subject to the provisions of the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts, 1893 to 1936, acquire, hold and dispose of the capital, or such part of the capital as it thinks fit, of any body corporate undertaking, promoting, engaging or participating in, managing or supervising schemes or projects referred to in paragraph (a) of this section, (g) assist in and facilitate, in any manner it thinks proper, the formation, promotion, establishment, reconstruction or reorganisation of bodies corporate referred to in paragraph (e) of this section.
Charging moneys advanced or paid by the Corporation on land.
9.—(1) Where the Corporation proposes to lend or advance moneys to or guarantee the payment of moneys by— (a) a registered owner of land, or (b) a person in occupation of land which is registered in a register of freeholders (other than the registered owner of the land) for any one or more of the following purposes, namely: (i) constructing, altering, improving or repairing buildings on the land, (ii) making on the land improvements of a permanent character calculated to increase, or facilitate or conduce to the increase of, the productivity of the land, (iii) paying the costs and expenses of the loan, advance or guarantee and giving security for the repayment of the loan or advance or of any moneys paid on foot of the guarantee, as the case may be, the Corporation, before lending or advancing the moneys or guaranteeing the payment of the moneys, as the case may be, may, subject to any general directions given by the Minister from time to time, make an order (in this section referred to as a charging order) charging the moneys to be lent or advanced by the Corporation or liable to be paid by the Corporation on foot of the guarantee to be given by the Corporation, as the case may be, and the interest payable pursuant to the terms and conditions of the loan, advance or guarantee on the land and the charging order shall operate to charge the moneys as and when they are lent, advanced or paid by the Corporation and the interest on the land in favour of the Corporation.
(9)
Section 35
of the Land Act, 1939 , is hereby amended by the insertion in subsection (1) after “Agricultural Credit Acts, 1927 to 1929,” of “or a charge created under section 9 of the Agricultural Credit Act, 1961,”.
Amendment of section 12 of the Act of 1947.
10.—Section 12 of the Act of 1947 is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (2) of the following subsection, namely: “(2) (a) The number of directors (including the chairman) shall be not less than three nor more than seven of whom a majority (being the smallest majority in any particular case) shall be nominated by the Minister if he holds not less than one-half in nominal value of the issued capital of the Corporation, but, notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, it shall not be necessary for any director of the Corporation to retire from officeas a director, for the purpose of compliance with those provisions, before the time specified for retirement in the articles of association of the Corporation. (b) The qualification for being a director shall be the holding of at least one share in the Corporation.”.
Amendment of section 13 of the Act of 1947.
11.—Section 13 of the Act of 1947 is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection (1) of the following subsection, namely: “(1) (a) Subject to the provisions of section 3 of the Agricultural Credit Act, 1961, the Minister may make advances to the Corporation and the Corporation may borrow from the Minister such sums as the Corporation may require from time to time for the carrying out of the Corporation's objects. (b) Advances under this subsection shall be made on such terms as to repayment, interest and other matters as may be determined by the Minister. (c) Moneys paid to the Minister by the Corporation in respect of repayment of advances under this subsection or of interest on such advances shall be paid into or disposed of for the benefit of the Exchequer in such manner as the Minister may direct.”.
Amendment of section 21 of the Act of 1947.
12.—Subsection (1) of section 21 of the Act of 1947 is hereby amended by— (a) the deletion in paragraph (a) of the definition of “the mortgagor” of “who is a farmer”, (b) the substitution for the definition of “recognised borrower” of the following definition, namely: “‘recognised borrower’ means any person to whom money may be lent or advanced or who may be provided with other credit facilities by a recognised lender or who gives or agrees to give security to a recognised lender for the payment of moneys by himself or any other person;”, and (c) the insertion in the definition of “stock” after paragraph (c) of the following paragraph. “(cc) insects and fish of every kind, the progeny and produce of such insects and fish, and trees (whether growing on or severed from the land),”.
Amendment of sections 39, 42 and 48 of the Act of 1947.
13.—(1) Sections 39, 42 and 48 of the Act of 1947 are hereby amended by the substitution of “one thousand pounds” for “four hundred pounds” in each place where it occurs in those sections.
Alterations in memorandum and articles of association of the Corporation.
14.—(1) It shall be lawful for the Corporation to make all such alterations in its memorandum and articles of association as are necessary or proper to give effect to the provisions of this Act and of the Acts as amended by this Act and as are necessary or proper by way of supplement to, or in consequence of, any such alteration.
Advances out of the Central Fund.
15.—(1) All moneys from time to time required by the Minister to meet sums which may become payable by him under the Acts or this Act shall be advanced out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof.
Repeals.
16.—The enactments mentioned in column (2) of the Schedule to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent mentioned in column (3) of that Schedule.
Short title, construction and collective citation.
17.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Agricultural Credit Act, 1961.
SCHEDULE.
Enactments Repealed.
Section 16.
Number and Year Short Title Extent of Repeal
(1)
(2)
In section 14 , the words from “but subject to” to the end of the section.
No. 30 of 1929 Agricultural Credit Act, 1929 .
Subsection (2) of section 9 .
No. 14 of 1947 Agricultural Credit Act, 1947 .
In subsection (2) of section 13 , the words “with the approval of the Minister” and the words from “but so” to the end of the subsection; sections 14 , 16 and 34 .
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