asked the Minister for Finance if he will state in respect of each of the past five years the total amount of money paid to customs officers on border patrol by way of commission on seizures.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Commission on Seizures.
23.
Border patrols are staffed by members of the customs preventive staff only. It is not possible to distinguish between rewards paid in respect of seizures made at the land frontier and other places.
Figures of the total amounts paid to the customs preventive staff by way of rewards in respect of customs seizures in each of the last five financial years are as follows:
|
Year ended 31 March |
Amount |
|
£ |
|
|
1967 |
1,399 |
|
1968 |
2,398 |
|
1969 |
2,421 |
|
1970 |
1,819 |
|
1971 |
4,955 |
Has this always been the practice?
In certain cases subject to the discretion of the Revenue Commissioners and subject to certain maxima that are laid down. This is a long-standing practice of which I was not aware until I received the question.
Could the Minister say what the commission is, very roughly, in terms of percentages?
It is completely at the discretion of the commissioners and depends on certain criteria such as the kind of work that was done in particular cases, the kind of goods seized and so on, but it is also subject to a maximum in each case, if only one officer is involved, of £30 or if more than one officer is involved, £40.
Does it represent a commission on sales of seized goods?
It is a peculiar incentive scheme.
I could not say positively. It is related to the value of the goods; whether it is related to the sale of them, I am not quite certain.