The Irish Tobacco Manufacturers’ Advisory Committee (ITMAC) has today congratulated customs officers following a seizure at a business premises in Dundalk this morning. Customs found cigarettes concealed in bulk packs of timber. The cigarettes are concealed in a cavity in the pack around which the timber is built.
The potential quantity of cigarettes involved is approximately 28 million with an estimated retail value of EUR11.8m and potential loss to the exchequer of EUR9.4m.
A spokesperson from ITMAC said: “We congratulate all the agencies involved in the largest significant seizure of 2010. Non Irish Duty Paid cigarettes (NIDP) cost this country €526 million last year. €526 million is an unacceptable loss of Government revenue during recessionary times. The expected loss to the Exchequer for 2010 is set to reach €616 million – Ireland can’t afford to ignore NIDP any longer.
The level of illegal trade in cigarettes in Ireland is alarming. It is a well known fact that tobacco smuggling revolves around organised criminal gangs, operating on an international scale. This illegal trade is resulting in job losses within the legitimate retail sector and bringing crime to communities all over the country.
Fakes look just like the real thing, even down to the Irish Health Warning’s and the Irish Tax Stamp. People need to be aware that even though it looks like the legitimate product it may not be”.
The operation in the Republic of Ireland involved Officers of Revenue’s Customs Service, An Garda Siochana, The Criminal Assets Bureau, the Irish Naval Service and Air Corps and in Northern Ireland, Officers of HM Revenue & Customs and the PSNI.
All forms of tobacco smuggling undermines’ government revenues and tobacco regulations and ITMAC are committed to stamping it out. ITMAC will continue to work with the authorities to eradicate this illicit trade.
Archive for February 2010
Customs seizure worth approx €11.8m
Reappointment of An Coimisinéir Teanga
Éamon Ó Cuív T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, has welcomed the reappointment of Seán Ó Cuirreáin as Coimisinéir Teanga.
The Minister said:
“I firmly believe that the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga has carried out excellent work, indeed pioneering work, under the direction of Seán Ó Cuirreáin in the past six years. A lot has undoubtedly been achieved: the Office is established now and available in the community as a facility, not only for the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht communities and the general public, but also for public bodies that provide the public with services through Irish. The Office has, without doubt, earned the respect of the public, particularly Irish-language speakers and users, in a relatively short period of time. I would like to take this opportunity, on my own behalf and on behalf of the Government, to wholeheartedly thank Seán Ó Cuirreáin and his staff for their work over the last six years. I have no doubt that this excellent work will continue in the six years ahead.”
Now is an opportune time, with the proposed 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language underway, to build on the foundations laid by An Coimisinéir Teanga since 2004. The manner in which the State attends to the needs of the Irish-language and Gaeltacht communities is a central theme of the 20-Year Strategy, and the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga will play a key role in ensuring that the Act, the regulations and the language schemes are being properly implemented, and otherwise dealing with resolving the public’s complaints in a fair manner.
UEFA appointments for Irish officials
A team of six League of Ireland match officials including referee, Alan Kelly have been appointed to officiate at the UEFA Europa League, round of 32, second leg clash between FC Salzburg and Standard Liege on Thursday, February 25th at the Stadion Salzburg in Austria.
The team of six officials also include assistants, Marc Douglas and Damien McGrath while Anthony Buttimer and Neil Doyle will act as the additional assistants which will be located in each penalty area, an experiment which has been implemented for this year’s UEFA Europa League. Derek Tomney will act as the fourth official in the clash between the Austrian and Belgian heavyweights.
Meanwhile, UEFA have also appointed prestigious appointments to Ireland’s top women’s referees, Rhona Daly, Paula Brady and Michelle O’Neill for two upcoming women’s international tournaments. Daly and Brady will officiate at an invitational tournament in Cyprus which includes, England, Scotland, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, South Africa New Zealand and Switzerland while Rhona Daly and Michelle O’Neill will also officiate at the UEFA Women’s U19, elite qualifying round which takes place in Hungary from March 27th to April 4th and includes Hungary, France, Austria and Switzerland.
Carers must be a priority in the future agenda of the European Commission
Sligo based MEP Marian Harkin
Marian Harkin pushed for greater visibility for Carers and their work today during a during a meeting she organised with MEPs, the European Commission and NGOs.
” It is time to ensure much greater visibility for Carers and their work and break the link between informational caring and poverty”
Harkin organised this meeting to put the issue of carers firmly on the European Commissions’ 2020 agenda. The Commission will shortly present a formal proposal for the EU 2020 strategy, with a view to the EU’s Heads of State and government adopting the strategy at their spring 2010 meeting.
“One of the challenges to be addressed by the EU 2020 strategy is that of demographic change. However it is a little one sided to assume that the only answer to face the demographic challenge is a dynamic and growing labour market without taking into consideration the increasing need for unpaid care and crucially who provides that care.”
“The EU 2020 strategy must take these issues on board and must not repeat mistakes of measuring economic objectives purely through outputs and outcomes of paid employment and resulting wealth”
Tánaiste welcomes Government support for 36 new jobs in Ardara
Tanaiste Mary Coughlan
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary
Coughlan TD has warmly welcomed news that 36 new jobs will be created in
Ardara as a result of financial assistance from the Government through
Údarás na Gaeltachta.
More than €780,000 has been approved to Gal Ard Teoranta, a bakery and
confectionery company in Ardara which presently employs 171 people.
This will bring the overall State investment in grants to the company to
more than €4million and will facilitate the creation of new employment in
the Gaeltacht and Donegal South West. The agreed funding will be provided
by Údarás na Gaeltachta in order to assist the company in expanding its
business through enhanced product development.
It is envisaged that the jobs will be created over a three year period. Gal
Ard Teoranta is the parent company of Gallagher’s Bakery which was
established by the late Frank Gallagher.
“From its beginnings in Ard Connell to its relocation to Cashel in Ardara,
Gallaghers have always sought to reach the highest standards as it has
developed and explanded in an impressive fashion.
“Today’s announcement shows that indigenous manufacturing can prosper in
rural locations and I’m particularly pleased to see the Government’s policy
regarding balanced regional development being practiced with the support
provided to this local company,” stated the Tánaiste.
