asked the Minister for Finance if he will recommend to the Revenue Commissioners the abolition of the 2/- payment for frontier request passes on mechanically-propelled vehicles from County Donegal crossing the land frontier between the hours of 9 p.m. and midnight.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Donegal Frontier Request Passes.
I regret that, in view of the expense involved, I cannot recommend the abolition of the 2/- fee charged for the clearance of motor vehicles crossing the land frontier after 9 p.m. and, in this connection, I am not prepared to make an exception in favour of vehicles from County Donegal.
Is the Minister aware that business concerns in County Donegal which do business with Dublin wholesale houses and send their representatives to Dublin have got to pay 4/- to get back across the Border into Donegal after transacting their business here?
Does he consider it proper that such businessmen and business concerns should be so victimised in travelling from one part of the State to the other?
Further arising out of the Minister's reply, in view of the forthcoming Tóstal celebrations would he consider relaxing the restrictions to get rid of some of the difficulties which cross-border traffic entails for tourists?
There are obviously two different matters involved in these supplementaries. So far as the supplementary put by Deputy O'Donnell is concerned, I regret that I do not propose to make any change in the existing system. The other is a matter which will have consideration.
Would the Minister consider asking the Revenue Commissioners and the customs authorities to consider adopting the practice of the Northern authorities and abolishing the stamping of frontier passes altogether?
So long as the Border is there, we must ensure that so far as the revenue is concerned the fiscal aspects of the Border will not be interfered with.
There will be a protest yet from the Department of Finance if the Border is abolished.
We would welcome the abolition of the Border but we are not responsible for putting the Border there. Your friends are.
If we want a discussion as to how far the civil war contributed to the Border, we can have it.
We will discuss the Molly Maguires.
Every time "pretty Fanny" comes in here he turns the place into a bear garden.