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Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2021

Tuesday, 30 November 2021

Questions (193)

Joe McHugh

Question:

193. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Finance if businesses that have paid dance licences will be reimbursed in view of uncertainty and cancellations between now and Christmas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58600/21]

View answer

Written answers

I expect the Deputy is referring to Public Dancing Licences which, under Section 2 of the Public Dance Halls Act 1935, are required to be held by premises where dancing is open to the public and in which persons present are entitled to participate actively. A Public Dancing Licence is separate to a liquor licence. A Public Dancing Licence fee includes court fees of €335 and excise duties of €155 bringing the total amount to €490. These licences are administered by the Courts Service which collects the relevant excise duties and remits them to Revenue.

As part of the range of measures introduced last year to support businesses impacted by the Covid-19 situation, the Government decided to waive the Public Dancing Licence fee for 2020 and, earlier this year, decided to extend that waiver for 2021. The support package also included a waiver of the fees chargeable on the renewal of certain liquor licences in the 2020 licensing period which has also since been extended in respect of renewals during 2021.

The excise component of the Public Dancing Licence waiver was brought into law through Section 31 of the Finance Act 2020 and will be extended to 2021 through this year’s Finance Bill, which is currently before the House.

The court fees component of the Public Dancing Licence waiver was brought into law through the District Court (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 439 of 2020), and extended to 2021 through the District Court (Fees) (Amendment) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 444 of 2021), which were both signed by the Ministers for Justice and Equality and for Public Expenditure and Reform. I understand that the Courts Service put in place arrangements to provide refunds for relevant Public Dancing Licence fees (comprising excise duties and court fees) paid prior to the coming into operation of the initial Order.

Therefore, no fees are payable in respect of applications for Public Dancing Licences in 2020 or 2021. This measure, coupled with the extension of the waiver for renewal of liquor licences, is an important support for the hospitality sector impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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