(1) Section 15 of the Trade Union Act, 1975 (which refers to a grant towards expenses of amalgamations or transfers) is hereby amended by the deletion of "were exceptional and".

(2) Whenever two or more trade unions engage in an unsuccessful attempt to amalgamate or to effect a transfer of engagements from one union to another the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, make to one or more of those trade unions out of moneys to be provided by the Oireachtas a grant of such amount as the Minister thinks fit towards such expenses as he is satisfied were incurred, within the period of two years immediately prior to the failure, by that trade union in the course of, or in contemplation of, such attempted amalgamation or transfer.

(3) Where an instrument of amalgamation takes effect the registration of any amalgamating union shall cease to have effect and on the granting of a negotiation licence to the new union any negotiation licence held by an amalgamating union shall cease to have effect.

(4) Where an instrument of transfer of engagements takes effect the registration of any transferor union and any negotiation licence held by such union shall cease to have effect.