asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the particulars of the fees in respect of import licences fixed under Section 36 of the Cement Act, 1933; the period of their operation; the total amount of such fees collected in the year ended (1) 31st March, 1934, and (2) 31st March, 1935; the estimated amount of the fees so to be collected in the year ended 31st March, 1936; and the manner of accounting for the moneys so collected.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Import Licence Fees.
The fee payable under Section 36 of the Cement Act, 1933, in respect of every import licence granted is calculated at the rate of 5/- per ton of cement authorised by licence to be imported, and will be payable in respect of every such licence issued under Part V of the Act. No period of operation has been fixed. As the Act did not come into operation until the 14th May, 1935, no fees were collected in the year ended 31st March, 1934, nor in the year ended 31st March, 1935. The estimated amount of the fees to be collected in the year ending 31st March next is £65,000. Every fee collected under Part V of the Act will be paid into the Exchequer.
Would the Minister consider whether the present procedure could not be shortened, because, in my opinion, there is an unnecessary amount of detail involved? I do not want to go into the various items, but I suggest that the Minister should consider that, with the condition, of course, that he should be perfectly satisfied. At the same time, there is no use in putting needless work on the present cement importers.
If the Minister cannot answer that——
The suggestion made by Deputy Dockrell will have attention.
Will the Minister say if this tax is a revenue tax or a protective tax?
It is designed to carry out the policy which was explained when the Cement Act was before the Oireachtas in 1933. It is at present yielding revenue, but in due course the revenue will disappear.
Will the Minister say in what circumstances it is proposed that the revenue should disappear?
When cement is produced here.
Will the cost of cement be higher then?
Higher than what?
Higher than what it was before the 5/- was put on, plus the 5/-?
Oh, certainly.
It will be higher still?
It will be higher than the price at which cement is now being imported. The price of cement here, even with the 5/-, however, is lower than the price in most European countries, including Great Britain.
So it will be higher than what it was before this was put on, together with this 5/-?
I said that it will be higher than it was before the 5/- was imposed. It is perhaps difficult to say what the price will be in view of the fact that it will be some time before cement is available from mills here.
But that it will go higher still than it is now?
Wait and see.
Is it for the purpose of softening the blow that the price of cement is being slowly raised by the collection of this 5/- at the present time?
That was fully discussed when the Cement Act, giving power to impose this fee, was being debated here.
Is the same principle being operated in connection with cement as is being operated in connection with flour, that there should be a gradual increase of price prior to the critical day, in order that the impact of the new scheme on the price of the commodity will not be noticeable by the public?
There is no similarity. The increase in the price of flour is due to the fact that we are trying to give Irish farmers a decent price for the wheat they produce.
Question No. 5.
And to relieve the Exchequer of the burden thereon.
When the next question has been called by the Chair, there should be no interruptions relating to the previous question.