Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 2

Written Answers. - Company Registration.

John Perry

Ceist:

57 Mr. Perry asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason for the delays in registering a business (details supplied) in County Sligo; when the certificate of registration will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5257/01]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Ms Harney)

If any individual or partnership or any body corporate carries on business under a name other than his/her own true name then the registration of a business name is obligatory under the Business Names Act, 1963.

The application for registration to which the Deputy refers was received in the Companies Registration Office on 26 January 2001. It reveals that the business name was adopted by the applicant on 25 January 1994. No previous application was lodged with the CRO in respect of this business name.

Section 38 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act, 2000, introduced the requirement that a copy of a business name registration certificate must, in certain specified circumstances, accompany an application for a liquor licence and renewal or transfer of a liquor licence. This legislative change has encouraged that particular sector to comply with the terms of the Business Names Act, 1963, and consequently has contributed significantly to the recent increase in the workload of the business names side of the CRO. To illustrate this point, 5,264 business names applications were received in the CRO for a five-month period up to end January 2000 as compared with 12,464 for the same period up to end January 2001.

The office has recently moved additional resources to the business name area to cope with the demand, which is not expected to last. Applications are dealt with according to date of receipt. Assuming the documentation is in order, I would expect that the relevant certificate to issue on or about 8 March 2001.