asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the amount of money collected as a result of the recent duties of 75 per cent. full and 50 per cent. preferential on imported medicinal and veterinary tablets and ready mixed materials for such tablets, and (b) the purpose or purposes for which such money will be used.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Duties on Imported Medicinal and Veterinary Tablets.
29.
(a) The amount collected in the period 22nd September, 1959, to 15th October, 1959, was £475. (b) Any revenue arising from these duties will, in common with other revenue, be paid into the Central Fund for application to general Exchequer purposes.
Does that in fact mean, in relation to sick people who desire to import these medicines, that taxation to that extent has been imposed upon them for the use of the Central Fund?
I think the Deputy is not, perhaps, quite accurate in that interpretation. It does mean that there are alternative sources of supply perhaps and that these medicines have not necessarily been imported for sick persons.
They are imported for the treatment of the sick.
Would the Minister for Finance or some appropriate Minister of the Government consider making a statement clarifying the position in regard to this taxation on tablets? There is a great deal of confusion in the public mind. If it, in fact, does not affect tablets people want to bring in for the relief of sickness, quite a new situation arises.
The Minister for Industry and Commerce is answering a question later.