Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will move on to the other chapters. I appreciate Mr. Cody answering those questions given the significance of the resignation of Mr. Dominic Raab. One of the chapters the Comptroller and Auditor General has examined in-depth is that of tobacco smuggling and the impact it has on the revenues of the State. If a hard border is in place, then the smuggling of fuel, tobacco and drink will become even more lucrative. I recall being at an awards ceremony once and the former Armagh football captain joked in his speech that any decent smuggler in south Armagh would have had a couple of tankers of laundered fuel on the road before breakfast.

My party and Deputy Breathnach introduced a Private Members' Bill, the Sale of Illicit Goods Bill 2017, a few weeks ago in the Dáil. During that debate, the Government contested the figures being quoted for the revenue lost to the State. It stated that it could not be quantified. Will Mr. Cody hazard a guess as to the figure? He has spoken of the 13% loss but the Comptroller and Auditor General has said it is a significant risk to tax receipts. I presume Mr. Cody would agree with that? What does he believe is the loss to the State?