Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 17 September 2019
Committee on Budgetary Oversight
Pre-Budget Scrutiny: Minister for Finance
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I will not comment now on the specific locations or the issues which the Deputy raised, but I am aware of the issue.
On how I previously described the introduction of duty free, it is correct that I said I would only bring it in if it was instigated elsewhere. That happened last week. On its overall cost, the Deputy is correct that other things could happen that could reduce the cost of this to us overall. However, when we get into the realm of working out what they might be, it is very difficult for me to put a figure against that as we must make all kinds of assumptions on consumption and where it would occur.
I have a highly approximate overall gross figure for the potential impact of the introduction of duty free, which is up to €350 million. That would be included in the no-deal Brexit planning to which I refer. That is based on the assumption that a certain number of passengers would avail of duty free and would buy a certain amount of cigarettes and alcohol.