Unemployment (Relief Works) Act, 1940

Certification of work by the Minister.

2.—(1) Whenever the Minister is of opinion that a particular work of public utility which is being or is about to be executed by a local authority was or is being undertaken wholly or partly for the purpose of providing employment for unemployed persons in a particular area, the Minister may (subject to the limitation imposed by this section) certify that such work was or is being undertaken by such local authority for the purpose of providing employment for unemployed persons in a particular area specified in such certificate.

(2) Whenever the Minister is of opinion that, for the purpose of providing employment for unemployed persons in a particular area, it is expedient that a particular work of public utility which a particular local authority has power by law (including this Act or any order made thereunder) to execute should be undertaken and executed by that local authority, the Minister may (subject to the limitations imposed by this section) after consultation with such local authority certify that such work should be undertaken by such local authority for the purpose of providing employment for unemployed persons in such particular area.

(3) No certificate shall be given by the Minister under this section after the expiration of two years from the date on which the Emergency Powers Act, 1939 (No. 28 of 1939), ceases to be in force.

(4) A certificate may be given by the Minister under this section notwithstanding that the work to which such certificate relates was begun before the passing of this Act.

(5) In this Act—

the expression “certified work” means a work in respect of which a certificate has been given by the Minister under this section, and

the expression “executing authority” when used in relation to a certified work, means the local authority mentioned in the certificate given by the Minister in respect of such work as the local authority by whom such work was, is being, or should be undertaken.