(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement on the up-to-date position regarding the arrangements to declare the Ballyconnell, County Cavan/Derrylin, County Fermanagh road a concession road.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cavan-Fermanagh Road.
11.
Under an agreement reached with the UK Customs authorities limited approval as a concession road has been granted and the road is now open for the conveyance of certain categories of goods to residents on both sides of the frontier who hold special passes issued jointly by the Irish and UK Customs authorities.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Did I understand the Minister correctly to say that the road is now open? Secondly, could he give us an idea of the categories of goods which may be transported or brought across from one side to the other?
The answer to the first part of the Deputy's supplementary is yes, I said that the road is open for the limited purposes I mentioned. The agreement relates to commercial traffic limited to holders of special passes, issued jointly, as I have indicated. The arrangement does not impinge in any way on the existing concession pass procedure for private cars. In the beginning the special passes are being limited to bulk goods which can be readily identified and checked. Extension to other goods is not ruled out in the light of the experience of the operation of the concession. Perhaps I might add also, for anybody who would be interested, that applications for passes should be made to the Surveyor, Customs and Excise, Monaghan.
(Cavan-Monaghan): For my information and that of the public also, could the Minister give us some indication of the nature of the bulk goods?
I do not think I can specify them. It does not relate to the particular categories of goods; rather is it related to the fact that they are being transported in bulk and can be readily and easily checked and identified.
(Cavan-Monaghan): The information the Minister is in a position to give seems to be very vague.
I can tell the Deputy that a lot of people seem to know about it because approximately 50 consignments daily, on average, are being cleared by Customs at the crossing point on the Ballyconnell and Derrylin Road.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Is it confined to one category of goods?
No, not to one category.
(Cavan-Monaghan): May I take it that the Revenue Commissioners will give sympathetic consideration to reasonable requests for an extension of the category of goods?
As I have indicated, certainly that is not ruled out. Decisions on that will be made in the light of experience of operating the present system.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Might I further ask the Minister——
We cannot spend all day discussing questions of the Ballyconnell Road. The Deputy will appreciate that.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I do not want to say I resent that, because that would not be right, but it is a very important matter.
The Deputy asked seven supplementary questions on a localised question, the information on which he could get without taking up time at Question Time.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Sir, it concerns 1,500,000 people in Northern Ireland and over three million here and is not a matter to be lightly brushed aside.