Gay Mitchell
Question:27 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the number of intoxicating liquor licences in existence for each of the years from 1988 to 1993 inclusive.
Written Answers. - Intoxicating Liquor Licences.
I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the total number of intoxicating liquor licences (including publicans licences, manufacturers licences, dealers licences etc.) issued by Customs and Excise in the calendar years in question are as follows:
|
Year |
Number |
|
1988 |
15,371 |
|
1989 |
15,430 |
|
1990 |
14,365 |
|
1991 |
15,598 |
|
1992 |
9,871 |
|
1993 to 31 October, 1993 |
9,119 |
It should be noted that the licensing year for the main intoxicating liquor licences runs from 1 October to the following 30 September and that those who applied for Spirits Retailer's On-Licences (Publican's Licences), Spirits Retailer's Off-Licences and Wine Retailer's Licences in the 1992-93 licensing year were required, under the provisions of the 1992 Finance Act, to have obtained a tax clearance certificate from the office of the Collector-General before they could renew their licences. As a result, figures for the latest years are not strictly comparable.
Because many of those who applied for tax clearance post-October, 1992 were initially unsuccessful (because their tax affairs were not in order) but subsequently were successful in 1993, there is a marked reduction in the figure shown for the 1992 calendar year when compared with figures quoted for previous calendar years. In other words, many licences which would in previous years have been renewed before the end of December were not in fact renewed until between January and September, 1993. Similarly in so far as the 1993-94 licensing year is concerned, it is expected that some licences will not be renewed before the end of December, 1993 because the applicants may still be in the process of securing tax clearance certificates.
As regards tax clearance, the Revenue Commissioners estimate that about 13,800 out of the 15,598 licences issued in 1991 would require tax clearance for renewal. For the licensing year 1 October 1992 — 30 September 1993, 12,737 tax clearance certificates were issued, 582 applications were refused and the balance of potential applicants did not apply for tax clearance.
I should also mention that in relation to tax clearance that the Collector-General's Office is prepared to meet with publicans who are in arrears and who are prepared to make realistic efforts to discharge those arrears over a reasonable period of time. I would suggest that such individuals should act accordingly with a view to obtaining a Tax Clearance Certificate and also a current intoxicating liquor licence.