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- Guidelines for Local Authorities for the carrying out of their Functions under the Casual Trading Act 1995
- Issuing of Occasional Trading Permits
Guidelines for Local Authorities for the carrying out of their Functions under the Casual Trading Act 1995
The Consumer Strategy Group reported in May 2005 and recommended inter alia that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment should have powers to issue statutory guidelines to local authorities to ensure that a consistent approach to casual trading be adopted throughout the country. A High Level Inter Departmental Committee was established to consider the various recommendations of the Group. In respect of casual trading the High Level Group made the following recommendations:
- that the guidelines issued by this Department should contain a specific provision advising local authorities of the need to encourage the sale of fresh fruit and vegetables,
- that the guidelines be reviewed after an appropriate period to ascertain what effect they are having and
- that the Casual Trading Act 1995 be amended to permit the Minister to introduce statutory guidelines at some future point if required.
At it’s meeting on the 13th December 2005 the Government endorsed the recommendations of the High Level Inter Departmental Committee and approved the preparation of a general scheme of a Bill to implement the recommendations into law. The principal recommendation is of course the establishment of a new National Consumer Agency.
Basically the intention in issuing the guidelines was to attempt on a voluntary basis best practice for the operation of casual trading by all the stakeholders involved, traders, local authorities and the Gardai with the ultimate aim of providing more choice for consumers in the retail sector.
The Minister hopes to introduce the legislation mentioned above later this year. This legislation will include a provision to permit the Minister to issue statutory guidelines on casual trading.
In the interim the voluntary guidelines are reissued which have been amended in response to suggestions made by those who responded last year and to the conclusion of the High Level Inter Departmental Committee.
Issuing of Occasional Trading Permits
Background Information
The Occasional Trading Act, 1979 provides for the control and regulation of occasional trading by the obligation on persons undertaking such trading to hold a permit. "Occasional trading" means selling goods by retail at a premises or place (not being a public place) of which the person so selling has been in occupation for a continuous period of less than three months ending on the date of such selling.
Application
An application must be made 30 days before trading begins and the fee for the permit is ¤95.23 for the first day plus ¤31.74 for each additional day or part of a day on which it is proposed to engage in occasional trading at the same venue i.e. ¤95.23 for one day, ¤126.97 for two days etc. Applications should be made by post, to the Section (see Contact Details). Fees can be paid in the form of a cheque, bank draft, money order or postal order. Cash should not be sent in the post. Occasional Trading Permits Application form (PDF, 132 KB) is available to download and from the Section. Conditions may be attached to a permit.
Last modified: 22/05/2008
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