asked the Minister for Finance if he will indicate the commodities in respect of which (a) import levies were imposed, (b) import levies were removed since March, 1957, and (c) customs duties were imposed since March, 1957, and which had previously been subject to levy; further, if he will state the amount collected for the ten months to 31st January, 1958, in respect of the duties referred to at (c); and when it is proposed to remove the remaining levies.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Import Levies.
The various classes of goods on which import levies were imposed are listed in the Customs and Excise Tariff Supplement. The classes from which the levies were removed since March, 1957, are detailed in the printed amendments to the tariff supplement. Copies of both the tariff supplement and the printed amendments thereto are available in the Oireachtas Library.
I cannot at this stage indicate when it will be possible to remove the remaining levies.
Since March, 1957, customs duties were imposed on the following classes of goods, previously subject to import levy: motor car parts imported as aggregates for assembly and liable to compounded rates of motor car duty: newsprint and other printing paper; gramophone records; dried fruit; edible nuts; bananas; certain mosaics; and certain imported newspapers.
The net amount of revenue collected from these customs duties in the ten months ended 31st January, 1958, was £530,000 approximately.
Am I correct in taking it from the Minister's reply that he considers that the levies imposed by his predecessor were necessary and that it is necessary to continue those that have not been removed?
I did not altogether say that: I said we have not yet removed them.