asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (or cause a "clear copy" to be laid on the Table of the Dáil of the particulars of) those commodities that are (1) liable to special import levy, (2) were liable to levy but were freed from levy (a) in 1957 and (b) in April, 1958, and on which customs duties were imposed in lieu thereof, and the rate of duty applicable to such commodities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Special Import Levy.
Particulars of the special import levies at present in force are contained in the Customs and Excise Tariff Supplement as amended by amendment slips Nos. 1 and 2 dated June and September, 1957, respectively and subject to the recent alterations indicated in Notice No. 792 issued by the Revenue Commissioners on 16th April, 1958. For convenience, the supplement is being reprinted to embody these various amendments and will be available shortly.
Particulars of goods freed from the levies in 1957 and 1958 subject to the imposition of ordinary customs duties thereon and the rates of such duties are given in Notices Nos. 757, 759, 775 and 792 issued by the Revenue Commissioners on 3rd and 17th April and 31st July, 1957, and 10th April, 1958 respectively.
Copies of the existing tariff, tariff supplement, amendment slips and notices referred to are available in the Oireachtas Library.
Would the Minister not put a clear copy in the Oireachtas Library, because it is virtually impossible to follow all the amendments? I have seen the printed lists with the amendment slips to which the Minister refers and one has to look up cross-references backwards and forwards. When it is going to the printers again, there will have to be a clear type-script copy and could that not be put in the Library?
I do not know when we will be able to have some copies, but I will look into the matter.
I think there are 117 cross-references which have to be followed in order to see where one is.