Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is Government policy to promote and protect Irish exports and imports. The haulage sector needs a properly functioning, and more importantly, very reliable Revenue customs system. Unfortunately, in the past number of months, Revenue's online automated export system and automated import system, AES and AIS as they are known, have routinely dropped creating very long delays and additional and unacceptable costs for hauliers at ports, meaning they cannot have their goods cleared and approved. Hauliers have highlighted their ongoing concerns and frustration on this matter with me. I tabled a parliamentary question to the Minister for Finance asking for direct information from Government. Unfortunately, this has not happened yet and hauliers are still experiencing these increasing problems. However, it is not only the hauliers this will damage; this will damage our international reputation as a high-export country. I ask the Minister if he will ensure that Government intervenes immediately with Revenue.

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