asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that an English newspaper has offered to supply, from a fund at its disposal, wireless receiving sets for each lighthouse and lightship on the coast; whether the Revenue Commissioners have any power to admit such wireless receiving sets free of duty, in view of the fact that the newspaper cannot pay the duty owing to the fact that the fund was raised specifically for the purchase of wireless sets and for no other purpose; and whether it is possible for permission to be given to the Irish Lights Board to admit wireless receiving sets free of duty, or whether he could make any further suggestion as to how the difficulty can be dealt with.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - ENGLISH NEWSPAPER'S WIRELESS OFFER.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Revenue Commissioners have no power to allow wireless apparatus to be imported without payment of duty in the circumstances indicated in the question; and there is no provision in the law under which the Irish Lights Board could be permitted to import wireless receiving sets without payment of duty. I am unable to suggest any solution of the matter.
If I introduce a one-section Bill based on Section 83 of the Electricity (Supply) Bill, will the Minister give me facilities for it and support it?
I will do my best to persuade the Dáil to reject it.