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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 May 1943

Vol. 89 No. 18

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Revocation of Traders' Licences.

asked the Minister for Supplies if he is aware that a number of traders in County Dublin have received notices revoking their tea and sugar licences and that this will inflict considerable hardship on the customers of the traders concerned; and, further, that a big number of the traders referred to were convicted only of trivial offences, such as not keeping proper records; and if he is prepared to set up a tribunal representative of the traders and the Department of Supplies with a neutral chairman to deal with all these cases pending a decision concerning the revocation notices.

Traders in the County Dublin who have been convicted in the courts of offences against the Emergency Powers Orders relating to the rationing of tea and sugar and fixing the prices of those commodities have received notices to the effect that it is the intention to revoke the licences issued to them to retail tea and sugar within four weeks from the dates of the notices. Before the expiration of the period set out in the notice, the circumstances in each case will be considered and the question as to whether or not the licences will actually be taken away will be determined by reference to those circumstances. I am not prepared to adopt the suggestion by the Deputy to set up a tribunal to deal with such cases.

Will the Minister say whether, in taking all the circumstances of these cases into account, he will also take into consideration the opinion of the district justice concerned in dealing with a particular case, where the triviality of the offence was mentioned, such as the non-keeping of records?

Will the Minister give consideration, where the offence is a trivial one, such as the non-keeping of records, and is purely due to a want of appreciation on the part of the person concerned of the importance— and the rightful importance—of keeping records, and will he, in cases of such trivial offences, undertake not to revoke the licences?

The Deputy can be assured that all circumstances will be taken into account in connection with each case.

Is the Minister aware that the Minister for Justice always takes into account the opinion of the district justice in regard to each particular case, and will the Minister for Supplies be guided by the example of the Minister for Justice in that respect?

The circumstances are entirely different here.

I submit that they are not.

How can the Minister say that all the circumstances of each case will be taken into consideration, if he excludes the definite statement made by a district justice?

I did not say that a definite statement made by a district justice would be excluded.

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