THE Budget produced a mixed bag for consumers with price increases on the old reliables, such as cigarettes and petrol although alcohol was spared.
One of the surprise Budget measures was the increase in stamp duty on ATM cards from £2 to £5 a year. This will yield £1.7 million in 1996 and £3.4 million in a full year.
The Irish Bankers' Federation expressed "considerable disquiet" at the measure, saying that it amounted to a tax on people's use of modern banking technology to withdraw money from their accounts efficiently and securely, day and night.
Cigarette smuggling into Ireland will rise, following the Budget increase of 1Op on a packet of 20, the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers' Advisory Committee (ITMAC) claimed.
It said Mr Quinn's policy had put jobs in tobacco manufacturing at risk in Ireland.
Irish tobacco taxes are now among the highest in the European Union, ITMAC said, adding that it had led to increased smuggling of cigarettes into the State.
ITMAC estimates that the retail value of this illegal trade is now £20 million annually and that the Exchequer is losing, £15 million a year.
Motoring organistions said Mr Quinn's Budget might make Border garages uncompetitive again with the increase of 3.1p a litre on super unleaded petrol, from September 1st, and an additional penny a litre on petrol and diesel from last night.
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) expressed disappointment that Mr Quinn had not lowered the Vehicle Registration, Tax. SIMI had argued that a lower rate of 20 per cent would have meant a small family car would fall in price by about £300, Mr Quinn would have gained more revenue through the extra buoyancy and over 1,000 new jobs would have been created.
SIMI's chief executive, Mr Cyril McHugh, did welcome the benefit-in-kind relief for company representatives who do most of their driving in cities. The Vintners' Federation of Ireland welcomed the decision not to impose any new tax increases on alcohol.