asked the Minister for Finance whether he is satisfied with the existing arrangements for testing for Revenue purposes the weight of unmanufactured tobacco imported; if he will state what proportion (approximately) of unmanufactured tobacco is weighed after importation; and whether he proposes to require that all tobacco imports shall be weighed and sampled for revenue purposes after arrival in the Saorstát.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - UNMANUFACTURED TOBACCO IMPORTS.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
The existing arrangements for ascertaining the weight of imported unmanufactured tobacco are considered satisfactory. All kinds of tobacco are fully weighed on importation unless in the case of imports from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, whence practically all the supplies are drawn, the importer requests that a certificate, signed by a British Customs Officer, showing the weights ascertained at the time of examination by that officer prior to exportation, be accepted for the purpose of the import account. In the latter event, the goods are subjected to a partial check-weighing on import. If, as in the case of unmanufactured tobacco, the goods are deposited in a bonded warehouse in the Saorstát, the trader concerned is entitled to have each package again fully weighed before clearance from the warehouse for home consumption.
It is not proposed to make any alteration in the existing arrangements governing the weighing and sampling of tobacco.
Has the Minister considered this question from the point of view of employment for men on this side of the water, as compared with employment for men on the other side of the water?
No. I do not know whether it is not a question of double employment. I believe the tobacco would have to be checked on the other side in any event.
If it were checked on this side, would it not mean employment here, and would the Minister not prefer to accept the check of his own officer rather than that of the officer of another Customs authority?
If no attention were to be paid to the certificates of the other Customs officers, delays would occur. At present, the certificates are accepted, subject to a check-weighing. A certain number of packages are checked as a test. If any other course were taken, it would, in many cases, involve delay. The weighing on the other side, I understand, has to be done in any case, so that if we paid no attention to that and had all the weighing done here it would mean extra cost to the service without really any advantage, but with a certain disadvantage because of the increased delay.
Could the Minister not make arrangements for the other side to accept his figures rather than that he should accept their figures?
There is a reciprocal arrangement. Where the export is from here, our figures are accepted.
Is there any export from here, and if so to what extent?
In the case of tobacco there is not, but that is the general arrangement in the case of other articles.