Finance Act, 1976

Gaseous hydrocarbons in liquid form.

41.—(1) In addition to any other duty which may be chargeable, there shall be charged, levied and paid, as on and from the 29th day of January, 1976, a duty of excise on gaseous hydrocarbons in liquid form made in the State which are sent out, on or for sale or otherwise, from the premises of the manufacturer thereof or are used by such manufacturer for any purpose other than the manufacture or production of hydrocarbon oil or gaseous hydrocarbons in liquid form and on gaseous hydrocarbons in liquid form imported into the State and such duty shall be charged—

(a) at the rate of £0.02 per gallon until the commencement of section 42 of this Act, and

(b) at the rate of £0·10 per gallon thereafter.

(2) A drawback equal to the amount of the duty imposed by subsection (1) of this section which is shown, to the satisfaction of the Revenue Commissioners, to have been paid in respect of the goods in question, shall be allowed on the exportation from the State or the shipment or deposit in a bonded warehouse for use as ship's stores of any goods chargeable with the said duty.

(3) Whenever the Minister for Finance so thinks proper, the Revenue Commissioners may, subject to compliance with such conditions as they may think fit to impose, authorise any person to import or take delivery from the premises of a manufacturer of gaseous hydrocarbons in liquid form or from a bonded warehouse of any goods liable to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section without payment of that duty.

(4) Subject to compliance with such conditions as the Revenue Commissioners may think fit to impose, any goods liable to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section may be removed for exportation, or for shipment for use as ship's stores, from the premises of the manufacturer thereof without payment of the said duty.

(5) The Revenue Commissioners may, if they so think fit, allow any goods which are liable to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section to be warehoused without payment of the said duty, and may, if and in so far as they so think proper, remit duty on any deficiency arising in goods so warehoused where they are satisfied that no part of such deficiency was caused by illegal or improper means.

(6) Where, in the period from the 29th day of January, 1976, to the 29th day of February, 1976, by reason of the operation of the provisions of Paragraphs 11 and 12 of the Order of 1975 or of subsection (1) of this section, an excise duty at the rate of £0·02 per gallon is payable on the importation or delivery of goods, the Revenue Commissioners may, subject to such conditions for securing the payment of the duty as they may think fit to impose, permit payment of the said duty to be deferred to a date not later than the 29th day of February, 1976.

(7) Paragraph 17 of the Order of 1975 shall, with any necessary modifications, apply, as on and from the 29th day of January, 1976, in relation to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section as it applies to the duties imposed by that Order.

(8) Section 15 of the Value-Added Tax Act, 1972 , shall be construed, as on and from the 29th day of January, 1976, until the commencement of section 55 of this Act as if the references to excise duty (inserted by the Order of 1975) included references to the excise duty imposed by subsection (1) of this section.

(9) (a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, the provisions of the Customs Acts and of any instrument relating to duties of customs made under statute, and not otherwise applied by this section, shall, with any necessary modifications, as on and from the 29th day of January, 1976, apply in relation to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section on goods imported into the State as they apply in relation to duties of customs.

(b) Where, in relation to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section, there is a provision in this section corresponding to a provision of the Customs Acts or of any instrument relating to duties of customs made under statute, the latter provision shall not apply in relation to that duty of excise.

(10) (a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, the provisions of the Statutes which relate to the duties of excise and the management thereof and of any instrument relating to the duties of excise made under statute, and not otherwise applied by this section, shall, with any necessary modifications apply, as on and from the 29th day of January, 1976, in relation to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section on goods produced or manufactured in the State as they apply to duties of excise.

(b) Where, in relation to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section, there is a provision in this section corresponding to a provision of the Statutes which relate to the duties of excise or of any instrument relating to the duties of excise made under statute, the latter provision shall not apply in relation to that duty of excise.

(11) This section, so far as it relates to the duty of excise on imported goods imposed by subsection (1) of this section, shall be construed together with the Customs Acts and any instrument relating to the customs made under statute and, so far as it relates to the said duty of excise on goods made in the State, shall be construed together with the Statutes which relate to the duties of excise and the management of those duties and any instrument relating to the duties of excise and the management of those duties made under statute.

(12) The provisions of Regulations 3 to 19 and 21 to 39 of the Hydrocarbon Oil Regulations, 1941 , and section 21 (12) of the Finance Act, 1935 , shall apply, as on and from the 29th day of January, 1976, in relation to the goods liable to the duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section as if they were hydrocarbon oil or hydrocarbon (heavy) oil as the case may be within the meaning, in each case, of Regulation 3 of the said Regulations.

(13) The duty of excise imposed by subsection (1) of this section is hereby placed under the care and management of the Revenue Commissioners.