61.— (1) In this section—

“designation order” means an order made by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform under subsection (2);

“relevant postal service provider” means—

(a) where no designation order is made, An Post, or

(b) where a designation order is made, the person so designated,

in relation to the provision of free postage to candidates pursuant to all or any of the following provisions:

F3[(i) section 28A of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Act 1937;]

(ii) section 57 of the Electoral Act 1992;

(iii) section 32 of the Presidential Elections Act 1993;

(iv) rule 22 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the European Parliament Elections Act 1997.

(2) The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, after consultation with the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government, may by order designate one or more than one person to be a relevant postal service provider (in this section referred to as a “designation order”).

(3) (a) The terms and conditions applying to the provision of free postage to candidates pursuant to all or any of the provisions specified in subparagraphs (i) to (iv) of the definition of “relevant postal service provider” in subsection (1) shall be agreed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the relevant postal service provider concerned, after consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and, where appropriate, the Minister for Defence.

(b) The appropriate sum payable, pursuant to the terms and conditions referred to in paragraph (a), from the Central Fund, or the growing produce of that Fund, to a relevant postal service provider shall be authorised by the Minister for Finance at the request of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

(4) Notwithstanding the repeal of section 74 of the Act of 1983 by section 4(1), schemes made under the said section 74 and in force immediately before the passing of this Act shall continue in force until the date on which such designation order as may be made comes into operation.

(5) Every designation 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 the designation order is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which the House has sat after that designation order is laid before it, the designation order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under it.