Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 9 Mar 1966

Vol. 221 No. 8

Financial Resolutions. - Financial Resolution No. 8: Excise— Firearm Certificate Duty.

The Taoiseach

I move:

That the excise duty on a firearm certificate coming into force, whether by way of grant or renewal, on or after the 1st day of August, 1966, shall be at the rate specified in the Schedule to this Resolution in lieu of the rate provided for by section 18 of the Finance Act, 1964 (No. 15 of 1964), and that section shall have effect accordingly.

SCHEDULE.

RATES OF FIREARM CERTIFICATE DUTY.

	£	s.	d.
1. For a firearm certificate for a pistol, including an air pistol, or revolver	0	10	0
2. For a firearm certificate for a rifle, including a miniature rifle	1	10	0
3. For a firearm certificate for an airgun, including an air rifle	1	0	0
4. For a firearm certificate for a prohibited weapon	0	10	0
5. For a firearm certificate for a shot-gun to which the provisions of section 12 of the Firearms Act, 1964, apply	0	15	0
6. For any other firearm certificate:—
For one such certificate	3	5	0
Where two or more such certificate are granted to the same person (not necessarily at the same time) and expire on the same date—
For the first such certificate	3	5	0
For the second and every subsequent such certificate	0	15	0

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

Is the ordinary shotgun certificate being increased by £1?

The Taoiseach

In the majority of cases, it is from 10/- to 15/-.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

That is in regard to the farmer's shotgun. I am talking about the ordinary game licence.

The Taoiseach

That is the increase for the farmer's licence or for the renewal of a general licence.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

To distinguish them, the sportsman's certificate is going up from £2. 5. 0d. to £3. 5. 0?

The Taoiseach

For the first certificate, and from 10/- to 15/- for renewals.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

That is an increase of 5/- for a subsequent certificate. There is no increase for revolvers, pistols and guns of that sort? Perhaps the Taoiseach would say why that is so? Is it that the amount is not worth collecting?

The Taoiseach

That would be a factor, but the justification for doing this is the vastly increased expenditure which the Government are undertaking in the improvement of game and sporting facilities.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

Could the Taoiseach give the House some information in regard to the numbers involved? First, could he give me the figure for the farmer's certificate?

The Taoiseach

40,000.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

And the ordinary game certificate?

The Taoiseach

28,000.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

There are considerably fewer game permits than there are farmers' permits.

The Taoiseach

40,000 and 28,000.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

I do not understand how the Taoiseach justifies that.

The Taoiseach

We propose to spend this year £60,000 of State revenue on the improvement of game resources. This seems a very reasonable charge. We will not recover that increase.

Mr. Clinton

In effect, what the Taoiseach is saying is: "We are taking £40,000 from these people and we are giving it back to them."

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

No, £28,000.

The Taoiseach

We are proposing to spend this £60,000.

Mr. Clinton

The Minister says in his Statement:

The increases which I propose will come into effect on 1st August and are estimated to yield an extra £40,000 in 1966-67.

Now he is proposing to give them back that £40,000.

The Taoiseach

Who should get it?

Mr. Clinton

For years this was collected and there was nothing done with it. Now we are boasting of the fact that we are taking money from these people and then giving it back to them.

The Taoiseach

There is more justification for taking the money now because we are spending even more money upon the improvement of game resources, than was ever spent before.

Mr. Clinton

It is the people's own money.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

There are 40,000 farmers with shotguns. The money is not being spent for them, theoretically at any rate. Their permit is to enable them to keep down vermin. The £60,000 the Government say they are going to spend is for the benefit of the other 28,000. Why then should the farmer have to pay more for his shot-gun?

The Taoiseach

The increase in his case brings his tax to 15/- a year.

Mr. M.J. O'Higgins

But as I understood the Taoiseach, the case being made for the increase is that the Government are spending money to enable restocking, the preservation of stocks, and so on. That might be a valid argument in regard to the game permit, if we can call it that, but it is not an argument that has any relevancy at all to the 40,000 farmers who are allowed shotgun permits to keep down vermin on their land. There are 40,000 farmers being taxed without any benefit.

The Taoiseach

I would not say they are being taxed without any benefit.

Resolution put and agreed to.