I move Financial Resolution No. 5:
(1) THAT section 123 of the Finance Act, 1992 (No. 9 of 1992), be amended—
(a) in paragraph (b) by the substitution of "31st day of August in the year concerned, £30;" for "15th day of September in the year concerned, £30.", and
(b) by the addition of the following paragraph—
"(c) on a licence expressed to remain in force for a period not exceeding one year and until the last day of February in the year concerned, £60:
Provided that the licence is expressed to relate only to Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (within the meaning of the Holidays (Employees) Act, 1973 (No. 25 of 1973) in the period from the 1st day of September or the date the licence is granted, whichever is the later, to the last day of February in the year concerned.".
(2) IT is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution shall have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1927 (No. 7 of 1927).
This resolution provides for a new form of limited annual licence for amusement machines. The new licence will be valid for every day in the period from 1 March to 31 August but only for weekends and public holidays in the period from 1 September to the last day of February. This resolution also changes the period of validity on the existing high season licence which currently runs from 15 June to 15 September. In future it will cover the period from 1 June to 1 August.
The purpose of this resolution is to introduce a new form of limited annual licence to dovetail more closely with established patterns of trading by traditional amusement and funfair centres, particularly in seaside resorts. In addition, the resolution adjusts the period of validity of the high season licence to include the June public holiday. Changes should have no impact on Exchequer yield and no CPI effect. The present licence structure for amusement machines is as introduced in the Finance Act, 1992 — annual licence until 30 June, £100 and high season licence for three months until 15 September, £30. Two changes now proposed are intended to meet the requests of the industry. The yield from the duty in 1992 was approximately £900,000.