(1) Upon compliance with subsection (2), an individual who ordinarily resides outside the State may apply to the Minister for Justice and Equality for a certificate (in this Act also referred to as a 'certificate of personal fitness') that the individual is a fit and proper person to hold a bookmaker's licence, or to be a relevant officer of a body corporate that holds such a licence, as the case may be.

(2) An individual intending to apply for a certificate of personal fitness under this section shall, not later than 14 days and not earlier than one month, before making the application, publish in two daily newspapers circulating in the State a notice in such form as may be prescribed of his intention to make the application.

(3) An application for a certificate of personal fitness under this section shall be in such form as may be specified by the Minister for Justice and Equality.

(4) An applicant for a certificate of personal fitness under this section shall provide the Minister for Justice and Equality with all such information (including information relating to the applicant's financial circumstances) as that Minister of the Government may reasonably require for the purposes of the performance of his functions under this section.

(5) Upon consideration of an application under this section, the Minister for Justice and Equality shall, not later than 56 days after receiving the application, either -