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

I thank the Minister for his reply. I want to take the opportunity to complement the members of the Garda, the Revenue Commissioners and other statutory agencies and local authorities who have had to deal with these thugs and criminal gangs over the years. They are a very sophisticated outfit and I know there has been very good work done. However, we need to be vigilant. Our measures, legislation and regulations need to be monitored and reviewed because we know things move on with technology and so on. It is a bit of a misnomer to use the term "self-assessment" in regard to smugglers. I know what type of self self-assessment they do.

There will be an additional problem after 1 May in that there will be an extra carbon tax here on smokeless and smoky coal, and there will be a big differential between the price charged by legitimate businesses in our State in comparison to what is being charged north of the Border. I see those depots right along the Border. I spoke to some of the people in small and medium companies who are working extremely hard to survive.

They are at their wits' end in regard to the uncompetitive environment they are working in, trying to deal with imports of much cheaper product from Northern Ireland. I ask that officials would look again at that issue after 1 May.

See this speech in context