Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2013
296. Deputy Heather Humphreys asked the Minister for Finance the progress that has been made regarding the introduction of a new marker system to combat the rise in fuel laundering in the border region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16877/13]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners, who are responsible for tackling fuel laundering, that Revenue and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are pursuing jointly a new and more effective fuel marker for common use in both jurisdictions. A Memorandum of Understanding setting out an indicative timeframe was agreed in 2012 by Revenue and HMRC and work on the project is proceeding. A joint 'Invitation to Make Submissions' (IMS), which issued in June 2012, generated international interest and twelve submissions were received by the closing date. These submissions are being evaluated jointly at present by Revenue and HMRC on the basis of agreed scientific, legal and operational criteria. Fuel laundering imposes significant costs on the community and poses a serious threat to tax yield and to legitimate businesses. As part of its strategy to curb illegal activity in this area, Revenue strengthened licensing requirements for traders in auto fuels in 2011 to limit the ability of fuel criminals to get laundered fuel onto the market. A new licensing requirement was introduced for traders in marked fuel oil from 1 October 2012 to limit the ability of fuel criminals to source marked fuel for laundering. In addition, Revenue introduced new supply chain controls requiring all licensed fuel retailers to make monthly returns to Revenue, from 1 January 2013, of their fuel transactions, which will provide assurance about the distribution of all fuels and identify suspicious or anomalous transactions and distribution patterns.
In the period 2011 to 2012, over 2 million litres of fuel was seized, 20 fuel laundries were detected and closed and over 89 filling stations were closed because they were unlicensed or in breach of licensing conditions.
