asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether in any circumstances gifts of secondhand clothing are permitted to enter this country from Britain free of duty; if so, what circumstances; and whether he will take steps to permit all personal gifts of secondhand clothing from Britain to enter free of duty.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Duty Free Import of Secondhand Clothing.
33.
Bona-fide gifts of used clothing to the value of £5 are admitted free of duty by the Revenue Commissioners. No licence is required in these cases.
Apart from this arrangement licences for the importation without payment of duty of bona-fide gifts of secondhand clothing of a reasonable value from Britain are recommended by my Department.
I could not agree to recommend to the Revenue Commissioners that all gifts of secondhand clothing should be admitted free of duty. Each application would require to be considered on its merits, in the light of the possible effect which large scale imports of clothing might have on the clothing manufacturing industry in this country.