asked the Minister for Finance if he has seen a report of the alleged seizure of certain foodstuffs from a troop of scouts; and if he will state the facts in relation thereto.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Seizure of Foodstuffs.
10.
A party of boy scouts arrived on the mail boat at Dún Laoghaire on the evening of Monday, 16th of July. When their baggage was being examined by the Customs the leader of the party declared and produced, inter alia, 2 lbs. of bacon rashers and 2 dozen poultry eggs. It was explained to him that in accordance with statutory instruments made by the Minister for Agriculture the importation of these goods was prohibited in order to guard against the introduction of swine fever and fowl pest. Since the goods had been freely declared he was offered the option of re-exporting them immediately. This offer was not, however, accepted and the goods were, therefore, seized and subsequently destroyed by burning. The Customs have no discretion in relation to these prohibitions and they acted quite properly throughout.
We all have the greatest sympathy with the scouts because of the predicament in which they found themselves. Nevertheless I should mention, though it will be poor consolation to the scouts, that many other people have had these sorts of goods seized by the Customs. I am sure the Deputy appreciates that in the case of these agricultural prohibitions any exception to the rule, however small, could go far to defeat the very purpose of the rule.
Does the Minister not think that, with a view to promoting the tourist industry, a responsible officer of customs, having exercised his discretion and having destroyed, as he was bound to do, the 2 lbs. of rashers would have called in his junior officer and asked him to go up to Dún Laoghaire and buy some rashers so that these scouts would not have had to go without their breakfast? It was a case for the exercise of discretion.
I think the Deputy had better put that question to the Minister for Finance.
I take it the Minister will do as much.