asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the approximate cost of collecting the customs on the border and the revenue derived therefrom.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - COST OF CUSTOMS COLLECTION ON BORDER.
It is not possible to segregate particulars of the cost of collection of Customs duties on the border, which forms part of the general Customs service of the Saorstát.
The collation of the figures representing revenue derived from Customs duty on goods entering the Saorstát through the land frontier would require a considerable amount of time and labour, and the information available would not be sufficiently reliable to warrant the expenditure of public money that would be involved.
It should be borne in mind that the staff on the border is mainly a preventive staff and that the staff is necessary, even if no actual duty were collected.