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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Oct 1947

Vol. 108 No. 7

Customs.

I move that the Dáil agree with the Committee in Resolution No. 9:

(1) That, in lieu of the duties of customs imposed by sub-section (1) of Section 5 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1939 (No. 33 of 1939), there shall, as on and from the 16th day of October, 1947, be charged, levied and paid on all mum, spruce or black beer, Berlin white beer and other preparations (whether fermented or not fermented) of a similar character imported into the State, a duty of customs at the following rates, that is to say:—

(a) for every 36 gallons of beer of which the worts are, or were before fermentation, of a specific gravity not exceeding 1,215 degrees, £42 4s.;

(b) for every 36 gallons of beer of which the worts are, or were before fermentation, of a specific gravity exceeding 1,215 degrees, £49 10s. 4d.

(2) That, in lieu of the duty of customs imposed by sub-section (2) of Section 5 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1939, there shall, as on and from the 16th day of October, be charged, levied, and paid on all beer of any description (other than beer chargeable with the duty imposed by the foregoing paragraph of this Resolution) imported into the State, a duty of customs at the rate of £10 11s. 6d. for every 36 gallons of beer of which the worts were before fermentation of a specific gravity of 1,055 degrees.

(3) That, in lieu of the drawback payable under sub-section (3) of Section 5 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1939, there shall be allowed and paid on exportation or on shipment for use as stores of imported beer on which it is shown, to the satisfaction of the Revenue Commissioners, that the duty imposed by either of the foregoing paragraphs of this Resolution has been paid, a drawback, calculated according to the original specific gravity of such beer, at the rate of £10 11/3 on every 36 gallons of beer of which the original specific gravity was 1,055 degrees.

(4) That, where, in the case of beer which is chargeable with the duty imposed by paragraph (2) of this Resolution or in the case of beer on which drawback under paragraph (3) of this Resolution is payable, the specific gravity of such beer is different from the specific gravity mentioned in the said paragraph (2) or in the said paragraph (3) (whichever is relevant), the said duty or the said drawback (as the case may be) shall be varied proportionately.

(5) That Section 24 of the Finance Act, 1933 (No. 15 of 1933), shall not apply or have effect in relation to either of the duties of customs imposed by this section.

(6) It is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution shall have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1927 (No. 7 of 1927).

Mr. Morrissey

We are not getting very much assistance from the Minister. It has always been customary in matters like imposing a heavy taxation that the proposals and the effect of the proposed taxation would be explained, particularly when we had a procedure such as we had on this occasion when the House agreed, in view of the fact-that we had speeches from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance, not to discuss these Resolutions on the day on which they were introduced. That was something which the House agreed to but the Minister, notwithstanding that, is not prepared to give us very much help. Am I right in assuming that this is the Resolution which is going to increase the price of the pink of stout and porter by 3d. and the price of the bottle by 1½d.?

This Resolution deals with customs duty; the next is the one which deals with excise.

Mr. Morrissey

That is the trouble. If the Minister would explain the matter I would not be making mistakes. I would like the Minister to set out what this will do and what its effect will be.

It sets out that: "For every 36 gallons of beer of which the worts are or were before fermentation of a specific gravity exceeding 1,215 degrees, £49 10s. 4d." The Deputy can read that for himself. It is the custom duty on imported beer. The next Resolution covers the excise duty on beer manufactured in the country.

Mr. Morrissey

I am not trying to be captious or to prolong this discussion, but the ordinary Deputy here and the taxpayer outside are entitled at least to get an explanation of the matter. We cannot be expected to understand this as readily as the Minister because we have not got people at our elbow to explain terms like "mum", "spruce", "black beer", "Berlin white beer" and "for every 36 gallons of beer of which the worts are or were before fermentation of a specific gravity". I bet the Minister a shilling to a halfpenny that not one single member of his own Party knows what that means or can explain it. Surely we are not expected to pass blindly Financial Resolutions without being given the opportunity of understanding them.

You have been passing them every year for the past 25 years.

Mr. Morrissey

Not without an explanation. And we have not been getting this Resolution every year for the past 25 years. Will the Minister tell me what is "mum" beer?

Mr. Morrissey

Does the Minister want the loan of a dictionary? Ah sure he is always "mum" anyway.

If the Deputy asked the question in order to make that pun we will stop the discussion now that he has made it.

Mr. Morrissey

If the Minister wants an excuse for not knowing anything about it himself that is all right.

These terms "mum", "spruce", "black beer", "Berlin white beer" are used to denote beer preparations of the nature of a syrup and the rates of duty are related to the main duty.

Mr. Morrissey

There are at least, I hope, two persons here who did not know anything about it before who now know something—the Minister and myself. I said "I hope".

Question put and declared carried.
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