asked the Minister for Justice if he has before his Department proposals from the Irish National Vintners Association for a planned and reasonable reduction of the number of licensed traders to a figure that would secure the adequate supplying of the needs of the population and the securing for the traders themselves of a reasonable financial return for their long working hours; and what action he proposes to take in regard to these proposals.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Licensed Traders.
49.
There has been a great deal of correspondence between my Department and the Federation in relation to suggestions made by them for a reduction in the number of licensed premises in the country.
The suggestions include the establishment of a fund to be financed by levies on licensees, for purchasing and extinguishing licences in excess of the public needs and various amendments of the law to intensify the existing requirement that the grant of a new licence would be conditional on the extinguishing of one or more licences.
I have repeatedly pointed out to the Federation that I am satisfied that any proposals put forward by them so far do not form the basis of a workable scheme. Having regard to the fact that there are about 12,000 licensed premises in the country a great many of which are sited in close proximity to one another in towns and villages with a limited licensed trade I can see, what I might describe as, insuperable difficulties in bringing about, within measurable time, such a reduction in the number of licensed premises as would guarantee substantial business for all—which is what the Federation wants.
The cost of extinguishing some thousands of licences would be enormous and could not be borne by the licensed trade during any measurable period of years.
On a point of order, I do not wish to cause the Minister for Finance any embarrassment but I recently defended the proposition that every Minister of State is obliged to appear before the Dáil and answer questions addressed to him which conform with our Standing Orders. That contention was contested for the purpose of lowering the status of Dáil Éireann. Might I suggest that when as a result of untoward circumstances, a Minister is not present and has not appointed a delegate to answer his questions, it would be appropriate if some public expression of regret were made to you, Sir, for the Minister's failure to be present when you called upon him to answer his questions at the appropriate time.
I have no hesitation in giving you such an apology, Sir, and indeed in explaining that my absence was due to the fact that my colleague, the Minister for Justice, whose questions I had undertaken to answer, is engaged in the Seanad and his questions were not readily available to me to bring in here.
That fully meets the position.