Vol. 490 No. 2
34 Mr. D. Carey asked the Minister for Finance the discussions, if any, which have taken place between his Department and the Department of Public Enterprise on the issue of duty free sales; the action, if any, he intends taking as a result of these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9603/98]
The importance of duty free sales to Ireland has been outlined in my debate on this issue in this House in early February 1998. Our programme for Government, on which we were elected, set out our commitment to resist the EU decision to abolish duty free shopping after 30 June 1999.
The Minister for Public Enterprise had the issue raised at the EU Transport Council on St. Patrick's Day and won backing from her Transport Minister colleagues for a call on the EU Commission to carry out a Community wide study on the effects of the ending of duty free sales. Our two Departments have up to now and will continue to liaise on the matter, particularly, because of its importance to the areas under the remit of the Department of Public Enterprise. However, the initiative in relation to having the decision to end duty free sales overturned rests with the EU Commission. So far, the Commission has indicated that they do not intend to bring forward proposals — which would require unanimous agreement at Council — to reverse the decision. I intend to raise the matter at the May ECOFIN.
