Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I value the opportunity to raise this issue in the House. I declare an interest in that I am an airline passenger at times. We are approaching Christmas and have recently finished the summer period during which many people travel regularly. Often it takes more than one flight to reach one's destination. I raise this evening the need for the Minister for Transport to outline the position regarding the ability to carry liquids purchased in airport shops on flights as hand luggage when travel involves more than one flight and whether there is a single rule worldwide.

I accept that bringing liquids on board represented a terrorism threat following the events of 11 September 2001. I ask whether this is being tightened or loosened internationally at this point. Whichever we intend doing, in the interest of people who use airlines, we need clarity on what can and cannot be done. I will give two examples. I was in New Zealand two years ago and on my way back I was planning to buy some make-up, which was liquid. I asked the woman in the New Zealand duty-free shop whether it would be taken from me during a two-hour stopover in America. She could not confirm whether that would happen, but stated that her guess was that it would be taken from me. I did not buy it and I observed when we reached America that nobody had anything confiscated. It was a pity I had not bought it.

When returning from Cape Verde via Lisbon recently, I purchased goods from the duty-free shop. I had been told on many occasions that there would be no problem provided the package was sealed at the duty-free shop with the receipt attached by staple. As my onward flight was with a different airline I was required to leave and subsequently return to the security-controlled area in Lisbon. When I went back in to that area I was told I could not carry a container of liquids greater than 100 ml even though it was in a sealed duty-free shop bag with the receipt attached. When I questioned it further I was told I could go back and check it in as hold luggage, but I could not take it as hand luggage as this was not a secure state under the Schengen Agreement. Does the average tourist need to be an expert in law and know what countries are covered by that agreement and whether the rules for those countries are the same everywhere? I return to my simple example of travel to Australia or New Zealand involving transiting through another country.

There must be clarity surrounding the procedure into the future regarding the carrying of liquids, be they alcohol, perfume or make-up. I accept that may be where we are going. It is not good enough that a customs officer can decide that he or she will take products from people after they have been paid for. The officers may suggest challenging the airport that sold the products or indicate that persons should have looked on a website to discover if they were eligible to transit products through.

I do not expect the Minister of State tonight to be able to say Ireland will solve all this. If there is not already a clear procedure, there should be a concerted effort at European and worldwide level to clarify procedures. That would ensure the airlines are operating from the same concepts, principles and criteria. As many now book their flight on the Internet, there should be encouragement for different airlines to put information in place as to what is allowed in this respect.

If a transit passenger carries a boarding pass and thinks that after going through security in New Zealand he or she is through security in America, that person should know if he or she is allowed to buy duty free products in New Zealand or elsewhere. At the moment, whether a person is a transit passenger within the system or, as in my second example, a transit passenger without a boarding pass who must go out and come back through the security system, there should be no difference to the passenger just because no agreement exists between the airlines. Criteria may indicate the duty free product should be maintained in a sealed bag with a receipt and has clearly not been tampered with but the third criteria of whether the country is within the Schengen Agreement seems to be another issue to grapple with.

I ask that a single policy be implemented across the world. I do not expect the Minister of State to be able to give me that commitment but we should move towards it. It might not be a significant issue for any individual but it annoys people when they spend money but are not able to take the products home. Clarity would yield great results. I do not believe people intend to be terrorists when they go away on holidays or a business trip and try to take make-up or perfume home. It is not a personal issue but an example of what can happen with the level of travel worldwide.