Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 12 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 7

Written Answers. - Duty Free Sales.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

160 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Finance if he will request the European Commission to undertake an urgent impact study of current proposals in relation to efforts to retain intra EU duty free sales after 1999; if he will raise this matter at the ECOFIN meeting on 19 May 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11245/98]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

The issue of duty free is scheduled for discussion at the ECOFIN meeting on 19 May 1998 at my special request. I intend to raise with my colleagues the findings of the report, commissioned by my Department and undertaken by KPMG Management Consulting, into the economic and revenue effects for Ireland of the abolition of duty free sales.

The EU Commission has stated that it will not commission an EU wide study. However, I hope that the report prepared in the Irish context will inform the debate at the ECOFIN and I look forward to the support of other member states on this issue.