asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the frustrating delays caused at entry to ports by excessive customs examinations; and, if so, if he does not consider such action to be detrimental to the development of the tourist trade and totally at variance with the hospitable name that this nation has always enjoyed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Customs Examinations at Ports.
5.
I do not accept that conditions are as represented by the Deputy. The customs examination of incoming passengers has been reduced to the minimum consistent with reasonable control and, I am satisfied, does not involve undue delay. The position is kept constantly under review and Customs personnel are fully alive to the need for extending every facility and courtesy to tourists.
Is the Minister aware that it is the exception rather than the rule to have customs examiniations at the French airport? Very much the same condition of affairs exists at London airport, whereas I have recently stood at Dublin airport watching arrivals, and in every case every single person had his luggage throughly examined. In the light of that, taking it vis-a-vis conditions in the other two countries, does the Minister consider that is a reasonable policy or not?
I must say that on any journey I have undertaken myself during the last few years I have paid particular attention to the working of the customs—not on myself but generally—and my impression was that travellers passed through the customs just as easily here as in any other place.
May I courteously suggest to the Minister that, if he has time to spare, he should go as an observer to the airport, to Dún Laoghaire and other ports, and he will see that what I am saying is correct?
Is it the practice occasionally to have inspections by officers of the Department of Finance, other than the officers of the Revenue Commissioners, of the procedure at tourist ports with a view to determining whether there might be, perhaps in certain circumstances, an excess of zeal, or whether there might not be, particularly at tourist periods, a desirable relaxation of customary zeal?
I do not think that the officers of the Department of Finance carry out such inspections. I have had talks personally with officers of the Revenue Commissioners and on various occasions they have sent me a list of the times taken to carry out examinations on arrival of boats and aeroplanes, and they always appeared to me very reasonable.
I am bound to say that my impression is somewhat the same as that of the Minister, but would the Minister think it desirable to ask Bord Fáilte to make detached and objective reports to him of a layman's impression of the Revenue procedure? I admit freely that the Revenue Commissioners may require to take special precautions but it might be no harm to have spot checks taken from the layman's point of view.
I shall look into that.