Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is aware that the change he could effect is to change the differential in the VAT rate between Northern Ireland and our State in respect of solid fuels as well as the application of carbon tax which is not applied on products in Northern Ireland. The differential is more than €2,000 on a 20 tonne truck of coal, meaning there is not a level playing field for many of our genuine retailers and merchants who are trying to survive. I frequently get calls advising that someone is delivering product from outside the State and selling it at a rate that would not be viable if they were paying their legitimate dues as they should be.

This issue needs to be tackled. Over the years I have advocated very strongly in this House that we need to tighten control over activity in the shadow economy. It is not fair on the people running legitimate businesses and trying to survive. It is also robbing the public coffers, in this instance alone of almost €300 million annually.

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