Gas Act, 1976

Compensation.

33.—(1) Subject to subsection (3) of this section, the exercise of any power under section 26 , 27 , 31 , 32 or 34 of this Act shall be subject to payment of compensation in respect of—

(a) any right over land or other estate or interest in land or in a right over land, acquired by virtue of an acquisition order,

(b) any diminution in the value of any right over land or other estate or interest of any person in any land, or in any right over land, by reason of the exercise of the power,

(c) any other loss incurred or damage done by reason of such exercise,

and subject to section 35 (5) of this Act, the compensation, together with any interest payable thereon by virtue of subsection (2) of this section, shall be paid by,

(d) in case the power is exercised under the said section 34, the Company, and

(e) in any other case, the Board.

(2) (a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, where compensation is payable to a person under this section in respect of the exercise of a power under section 26 , 27 , 31 or 34 of this Act, there shall be paid in accordance with subsection (1) of this section interest on the amount of the compensation payable to the person, at such rate as shall be determined from time to time for the purposes of this section by the Minister for Finance, from the date on which,

(i) in case the compensation is payable in respect of the exercise of a power under paragraph (a), (b) or (d) of section 27 (1), section 27 (3), paragraph (a) of section 27 (4), or section 31 of this Act, the power is exercised, or

(ii) in any other case, the claim for compensation is made,

until the payment of such compensation.

(b) If—

(i) the Board or the Company makes an unconditional offer in writing of any sum as compensation to a person to whom compensation is payable under this section, and

(ii) the offer is not accepted by the person, and

(iii) the sum awarded as compensation by the official arbitrator to such person does not exceed the sum so offered,

no interest shall be payable on such compensation.

(3) A claim under this section for payment of compensation shall, in default of agreement, be determined by arbitration under the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, as amended by any subsequent enactment, in like manner in all respects as if such claim arose in relation to compulsory acquisition of land, and for this purpose the Board or the Company, as may be appropriate, shall be deemed to be a public authority within the meaning of the said Act, and the reference in section 69 (1) of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963, to a planning authority shall be construed as including a reference to the Board or to the Company, as may be appropriate.

(4) A claim for compensation under this section shall be brought within—

(a) in case the person entitled to the compensation is a minor or a person of unsound mind, a period of six years from the date when such person ceases to be under such disability or dies, whichever event first occurs, but not more than thirty years after the exercise of the relevant power under this Act,

(b) in any other case, a period of six years from the date of the exercise of such power.

(5) Subject to paragraph (a) and (b) of subsection (4) of this section, compensation under this section may be paid to the personal representative of a person entitled thereto.