asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the amount paid into the Local Taxation Account in respect of duties on licences for the sale of intoxicating liquor for the last three financial years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Intoxicating Liquor Licences.
A sum of £119,449 19s. 10d. has been paid into the Local Taxation Account in each of the last three financial years in respect of duties on licences for the sale of intoxicating liquor.
Will the Minister state what happens to the licence duty hitherto received from the house on which the licence has been abolished?
The amount payable into the Local Taxation Account was stabilised by Section 88, sub-section (1) of the Finance Act, 1909-1910.
The Minister is aware, of course, that to bring about the stabilisation of that payment into the Local Taxation Account, it was arranged that where licences would not be renewed the licence fees would correspondingly go up pro rata on the balance of the licence holders in the particular area and that, since then, no particular case of increase has been recorded, though several licences have been abolished. Is the Minister aware that a time will arrive when this Account will have to be reduced?
No.
Will he give an assurance that it will not go beyond that figure?
No.