Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

269. To ask the Minister for Finance his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the licence to sell petrol and diesel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19989/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that the requirement that traders dealing in road fuels hold a licence has been in place for decades and that the requirement for a licence for traders dealing in marked mineral oil was introduced in 2012. The new licensing requirement was introduced in response to the threat posed to the exchequer and legitimate business by fuel laundering and was one element of a range of measures designed to provide for effective control of the supply chains for road fuels and marked fuels.  I am pleased that the measures that I introduced and the action taken by the Commissioners have been very successful in limiting the availability of marked fuel for laundering and in limiting access to the market for laundered fuel.

The licence fee for an auto-fuel trader's licence and for a marked fuel trader's licence is a flat rate excise duty of €250 in each case. The rate for a licence is not excessive and is comparable to the rates applicable to other excise licences. There has been extensive consultation with industry representatives who have been very supportive of the measures implemented to tackle fraud and protect compliant businesses from unfair competition from illicit operators.