Vol. 424 No. 10
34 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Finance if he intends to extend the date for the implementation of the changes to excise duties on liquor licences; if so, when he intends doing this; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I have no plans to defer the implementation of the new system of excise duty charges on liquor licences which was announced in my Budget Statement in January and confirmed in the Finance Act, 1992. The revised arrangements apply to licences with effect from their renewal date of 1 October last. As regards the level of the charges, they are reasonable in relation to the income earning potential that goes with licences generally and I believe that the change to a turnover-related basis for public houses and hotels represents a significant improvement on the inequitable flat-rate charge which previously operated.
