I move amendment No. 1:—
In sub-section (1), paragraph (b), page 3, line 5, before "any" to insert "within the airport".
This is a verbal amendment in order to make the position clearer.
Customs-Free Airport (Amendment) Bill, 1958—Committee and Final Stages.
Sections 1 to 3, inclusive, agreed to.
SECTION 4.
Amendment agreed to.
Section 4, as amended, agreed to.
SECTION 5.
Question proposed: "That Section 5 stand part of the Bill."
We had some discussion on the licensing provision on the last stage. I am not interested so much, frankly, with the licences the Minister for Industry and Commerce may issue. However, this is the only section on which I think I can introduce the matter. There are certain other things for which a licence from another Minister is required. Am I to understand that it is visualised that these licences from another Minister will be made more readily available to people in Shannon than elsewhere? I have in mind licences for certain classes of agricultural imports, for example. The Minister for Agriculture has certain licensing powers. I want to try to discuss this matter in a general way, without going into an individual case, if I can do so.
It seems to me entirely wrong that a licence should be refused under similar circumstances for an importation. It seems to me entirely wrong, for example that a licence by the Department of Agriculture should be refused, under similar circumstances, for an importation into Leinster and granted for an importation into Shannon. I cannot see where there could be any possible difference in relation to veterinary precautions.
Quite. We are not here concerned with import licensing at all. We are concerned only with licensing manufacturing and commercial operations at the airport. The Customs Free Airport Act provides, in so far as it is practicable to provide, for the maintenance of the necessary health regulations at Shannon, whether by the Minister for Agriculture or the Minister for Industry and Commerce.
If there are to be exactly similar conditions for Shannon and Leinster, there should be no discrimination.
In so far as there is a question of goods being imported into the State, the same conditions will apply.
I can assure the Minister that the same conditions have not been applied. I am glad to hear that that is the Minister's view, namely, that they should be.
They should. The facilities in that regard are for transit traffic.
Quite. I hope to be given another opportunity of discussing that matter, if I can, within the Rules of Order, which is doubtful.
Question put and agreed to.
Sections 6 to 8, inclusive, agreed to.
SECTION 9.
I move amendment No. 2:—
To delete sub-section (2), page 4, and substitute the following new sub-section:—
(2) Section 6, as amended by this Act, of the Principal Act shall not apply in relation to—
(a) the bringing of goods into the airport in conformity with a permission under this section, or
(b) the selling by retail within the airport of goods so brought in either for shipment as aircraft stores or to persons leaving or outside the State.
The sub-section, as originally drafted, is rather too wide in its scope in that it removes, in relation to goods brought into the airport under a permission granted under sub-section (1) of Section 9, all the restrictions in Section 6 of the 1947 Act, as amended. It was the intention to remove only the restriction on the bringing in of such goods contained in sub-section 6 (1) of the 1947 Act and the restriction on the use of such goods for retail sale to persons leaving or outside the State or as aircraft stores, contained in the new sub-section (2) (a) at Section 10 of the present Bill. It was the intention to retain the other restrictions in Section 6 of the 1947 Act, as amended by this Bill, that is, restrictions on the irregular use within the airport of such goods.
I shall take the Minister's word for it on this occasion that that is what it means.
It is a bit complicated, I grant you.
Amendment agreed to.
Section 9, as amended, agreed to.
Sections 10 to 14, inclusive, agreed to.
Title agreed to.
Bill reported with amendments.
Agreed to take remaining stages to-day.
Bill received for final consideration and passed.