Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy cannot have it both ways. If he is concerned about the impact of shopping in Northern Ireland on his constituents and on various sectors of our economy, he must realise that Northern Ireland's major pull factor is the sale of alcohol and cigarettes. All traders in Border counties will advise that fundamental point. If I propose an increase in excise duties on 7 April for the approval of the House, Deputies will have to carefully assess the impact such a measure would have on Exchequer revenue and on the degree of shopping that takes place outside this jurisdiction. It is clear——

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