asked the Minister for Transport and Power why cigarettes sold in duty-free shops at Irish airports are manufactured in the UK and if it is true that they contain South African or Rhodesian tobacco; and if the Government will make regulations to ensure that Irish manufacturers get preference.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Duty Free Shops Cigarette Sales.
57.
The duty-free shops at Irish airports cater for an international clientele in competition with duty-free shops elsewhere and the range of goods stocked must, therefore, reflect the demands of customers. In practice the great bulk of cigarettes sold in Dublin are of Irish manufacture and the bulk of sales at Shannon are of US manufacture.
Cigarettes manufactured in the UK are included in the range in response to customer demand but I have no information as to the country of origin of the tobaccos contained in them.
(Interruptions).
On a point of order, may I ask a question on No. 56? By all means, the Chair is the sole judge of order in the House but your immediate predecessor was wont to extend the facility of supplementary questions to three, five and even ten at times. Now you have chosen to stop supplementaries at the second supplementary question. It is your right to do so, Sir, but I do not think it is fair.
I have allowed quite a number of supplementary questions.
It is selective, a Cheann Comhairle.
That is an untrue allegation. The Chair will not accept it. Question No. 58.
On a point of order——
The Chair's ruling will not be challenged. There are other means available to Deputies.
On a point of order, is it in order to give figures which are not asked for in answer to a question?
(Interruptions).
The Chair is not responsible for Ministers' answers or Deputies' answers.
When this question was raised by means of supplementary you did not allow it.
(Interruptions).
The former Ceann Comhairle did not always allow supplementaries either.
Question No. 57. Deputy Lemass has asked that the answer be repeated. If the Minister would oblige, this would be appropriate.
The duty-free shops at Irish airports cater for an international clientele in competition with duty-free shops elsewhere and the range of goods stocked must, therefore, reflect the demands of customers. In practice the great bulk of cigarettes sold in Dublin are of Irish manufacture and the bulk of sales at Shannon are of US manufacture.
Cigarettes manufactured in the UK are included in the range in response to customer demand but I have no information as to the country of origin of the tobaccos contained in them.