The Railways Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Appointment of licensing authority and grant of international licences

14.—(1) The Department is hereby designated as the body responsible for granting international licences.

(2) Subject to and in accordance with these Regulations, the Department shall, on an application in writing made to it by a railway undertaking established in Northern Ireland in such form and manner as it may from time to time determine, grant to that railway undertaking an international licence.

(3) An international licence may authorise the provision of services generally or be restricted to particular types of service specified in the licence.

(4) Before granting or modifying an international licence the Department shall consult the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland.

(5) An applicant shall submit with his application the information about the applicant referred to in Schedule 2 and at any time after submitting the application such further information as the Department may reasonably require in connection with the application.

(6) The applicant shall at the same time as he submits any information about his professional competence to the Department send to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland a copy of that information.

(7) The Department shall grant an international licence if, and only if, satisfied that the applicant will be able at any time to satisfy the requirements referred to in Schedule 2 as to good repute, financial fitness, professional competence and cover for liabilities to third parties.

(8) An application for an international licence shall be determined by the Department as soon as possible and in any event within three months of receipt of the information referred to in paragraph (5).

(9) In respect of each application for an international licence the Department shall publish at least once in the Official Journal of the European Communities, the Belfast Gazette, and in one or more newspapers whose circulation together covers the whole of Northern Ireland a notice including the following particulars: –

(a) a statement that the applicant has made an application for an international licence and the principal address of the Department;

(b) the name of the applicant and the address of its registered or principal office; and

(c) a summary of the activities which the applicant wishes to carry out pursuant to the international licence.

(10) The Department shall inform the applicant in writing of its decision and, where the Department refuses to grant an international licence, the refusal shall state the reasons for its decision.

(11) As soon as practicable after granting an international licence the Department shall send a copy of the licence to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland.