Publication in locality affected of notice of application for licence
10.—(1) Subject to subsection (3), the Department shall refuse the application without considering the merits unless it is satisfied that subsection (2) has been complied with.
(2) This subsection has been complied with in respect of a locality affected by an application if, within the period beginning 21 days before the date on which the application is made and ending 21 days after that date, notice of the application in such form and containing such information as may be prescribed has been published in one or more local newspapers circulating in the locality.
(3) The Department is not required by this section to refuse an application if—
(a)it is satisfied as mentioned in subsection (1), except only that the form or contents of the notice of application as published in any newspaper did not comply with the prescribed requirements, and
(b)it is satisfied that no person’s interests are likely to have been prejudiced by the failure to comply with those requirements.
(4) For the purposes of this section a locality is affected by an application for an operator’s licence if it contains any place that will be an operating centre of the licence-holder if the application is granted.