asked the Minister for Justice if, in view of special difficulties experienced by petrol retailers in relation to insecurity of tenure under agreements with petrol companies, amending legislation will be introduced and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Petrol Retailers.
386.
The position of petrol retailers whose premises are owned by the companies supplying petrol was considered by the Landlord and Tenant Commission in their report entitled Report on Occupational Tenancies under the Landlord and Tenant Act, 1931 (Pr. No. 9685) which was presented in 1967. The commission who expressed some doubt as to whether such petrol retailers held under a contract of tenancy or a service contract, recommended that no special provision in respect of that type of contract should be made in landlord and tenant legislation. However, I am informed that the position of certain petrol retailers in this regard is at present under investigation by the Restrictive Practices Commission. If the commission were to recommend the introduction of legislation and if, in addition, the legislation so recommended were in the area of landlord and tenant law or otherwise a matter primarily for me—which would not necessarily be the case—I would of course consider the matter carefully.