Vol. 487 No. 6
32 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4756/98]
33 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4759/98]
34 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4757/98]
45 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4761/98]
47 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4755/98]
50 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4749/98]
65 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4751/98]
66 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Public Enterprise further to her comments to the meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Public Enterprise and Transport on 7 January 1998, the results, if any, she has had from her lobbying of other EU Transport Ministers regarding the planned abolition of duty; if she will give her assessment of the prospects of having the decision reversed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4685/98]
71 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4762/98]
76 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the action, if any, she has taken to reverse the decision by the EU Commission to abolish duty free sales at airports, on airplanes and on ferries within the EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4753/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 32, 33, 34, 45, 47, 50, 65, 66, 71 and 76 together.
I first outlined my position in regard to the campaign for retention of duty free to the House on 30 September last and have done so on many subsequent occasions.
As recently as Monday, 9 February, I addressed the Airports Council International conference in Dublin on the subject of duty free. The conference brought together several hundred delegates from airports all over Europe and further afield. I availed of the opportunity to impress on the delegates the need for their own Governments to contribute to a concerted effort, by all the member states, if we are to get a positive result in Europe on duty free.
The subject of duty free was also raised under Private Members' business a fortnight ago. We extensively debated the issue over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 and 11 February. In that debate, I set out fully my plans on the campaign to retain duty free. My colleague, the Minister for Finance, stated clearly what the procedural requirements were in order to reverse the decision of the European Council to abolish the duty free concession, or to obtain a deferral of the date set for that abolition, that is, July 1999.
Last Thursday, 12 February, this House held a full debate on aviation policy. Again, I took the opportunity to advise the House, in the course of that debate, of my plans in relation to the duty free campaign which is of such particular importance for the aviation sector.
I announced during those debates that I intended to raise the issue of retaining duty free in person with both the British and German transport ministers. Yesterday, I met the British Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, at a transport conference in London. I have also arranged a meeting with my German counterpart, Matthias Wissmann, on 3 March and arrangements are in hand to meet Jean Claude Gayssot, my French counterpart.
The House will understand that both Germany and Britain play key roles in the EU. The British currently hold the Presidency of Europe and Germany's size and significance in economic and political terms assures it a pivotal position on the European stage. I will be taking the opportunity presented by these meetings with my European colleagues to underline the need for the EU Commission to carry out its own study into the effects of abolition of duty free.
