Section 27 of the Act of 1946 is amended -

(a) by substituting the following subsection for subsection (2):

"(2) Every application to register an employment agreement shall be accompanied by -

(a) a copy of the agreement, and

(b) confirmation, in such form and accompanied by such documentation as the Court may specify, that the parties to the agreement are substantially representative of the workers and employers in the class, type or group to which the agreement is expressed to apply.",

(b) in subsection (3) by inserting the following paragraph after paragraph (a):

"(aa) that it is appropriate to do so having regard to the matters specified in subsections (3A) and (3B),",

(c) by inserting the following subsections after subsection (3):

"(3A) The Court shall not register an agreement under subsection (3) unless it is satisfied that -

(a) the parties to the agreement are substantially representative of the workers and employers in the sector in question, and in satisfying itself in that regard the Court shall take into consideration -

(i) the number of workers represented by the trade union party, and