asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether his attention has been drawn to advertisements in the newspapers offering fuel merchants' licences for sale; whether such licences can, in fact, be transferred or sold to a person other than the original licensee; and, if not, if he will take steps to warn intending purchasers against any such transactions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fuel Merchants' Licences.
My attention has not been drawn to advertisements of the kind referred to by the Deputy. It is provided by Article 3 (9) of Emergency Powers (Control of Fuel) Order, 1941, that no fuel merchant's licence shall be transferable. An intending purchaser of a fuel merchant's business who applies to my Department for the transfer of the existing licence is advised that the licence is not transferable and that an application for a fresh licence will be considered on its merits.