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Making life better for people by inspiring solutions to environmental problems

Quarry Tax a positive move

With debate still raging over the implementation of the Aggregates Levy in Northern Ireland, Friends of the Earth today issued details of a report in support of the legislation. Northern Ireland quarry operators are calling for an exemption, because they fear the loss of jobs and unfair competition from across the border, where no levy exists.

Head of Campaigns, John Woods explained;

"Far from resulting in widespread job losses, as the quarry industry claims, the quarry tax would help to create thousands of new jobs, especially in rural areas. These much needed jobs would be a welcome boost for such hard hit communities".

Friends of the Earth argue that an aggregates levy would give Northern Ireland's indigenous industries the opportunity to establish themselves as world leaders in innovative, environmentally sound enterprises.

"Green taxes of this kind are ultimately an inevitability"said John Woods. "Instead of flying in the face of international trends by calling for an exemption, we should be engaging with the Republic's Government to establish island-wide tax reform."

A tax of £1.60 per tonne on crushed stone, gravel and sand is due to be imposed from April 2002.