Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 May 1991

Vol. 407 No. 8

Written Answers. - Publicans' Licences Statistics.

Michael Bell

Question:

60 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline the number of intoxicating liquor licences issued as at 1 April 1991 by county; the cost of such licences in the years 1971, 1981 and 1991; the criteria used in issuing licences; whether he proposes to increase the number of licences in areas of large urban population where the number of licence holders is small; whether he has satisfied himself that a State licence may in effect be sold at a substantial sum without any benefit accruing to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Burke)

I assume that the Deputy's interest is in the number of publicans' licences. In the time available it has not been possible to compile the information on a county basis. The material which is available, compiled by the Revenue Commissioners on a revenue collection basis, is set out in the following tabular statements in relation to that type of licence.

Number of publicans licenses issued, as at 1 April 1991

Collection area	Renewed publicans “on” licences	New publicans “on” licences
Dublin	2,916	4
Waterford	1,435	0
Limerick	2,465	4
Cork	1,343	3
Galway	2,366	0
Overall total	10,525	11

Note: In the time available, the Revenue Commissioners have not been able to give the above information in county order.

Excise duty payable on publicans "on" licences

1971 (S. 17 (2) of Finance Act, 1960)	£4
1981 (S. 76 (1) of Finance Act, 1980)	£50
1991 (S. 43 (a) of Finance Act, 1989)	£100

There are various conditions depending on the nature of the application which must be satisfied for the issue of court certificates, which are the necessary prerequisite for the grant of publicans' licences by the Revenue Commissioners, and these are set out in the Licensing Acts. Those conditions include provisions relating to the surrender of existing licences, consideration of the number and location of existing premises in the particular area and increases in population.

Any proposal to increase the number of publicans' licences in areas of large urban population would require specific legislation and I have no plans at present for any such legislation.

The Deputy is not correct in implying that a liquor licence can be sold without any benefit accruing to the Exchequer. Stamp duty is payable on transactions both in licences and in licensed premises at the standard rates of conveyance or transfer on sale of property. Capital gains tax is also chargeable on the gain in value of the licence and/or the licensed premises since the last sale, or since 6 April 1974, if the property has not changed hands since that time.