Tonight in Donegal a woman had her car seized for non-payment of import duties that are owing on any cars bought in the North. Last month 69 cars were seized for the same offence and 96 warnings were issued.

In highly dramatic scenes that bordered on the farcical, Customs officials who obviously had nothing better to be at, accompanied by local Gardai who looked mildly embarrassed, set about impounding the lady’s car (was it a Lexus with leather seats?).

The car owner Margaret Davorn had staged a sit down protest in her own driveway reminiscent of that scene in Meet the Fockers when the Berni character, played by Dustin Hoffman stages a similar protest in front of Robert De Niro’s huge Winnebago, saying to Gaylord: ” You weren’t around in the 60s! This is how we got things done!”

The sixties method didn’t work in Greencastle Donegal though, as the Officials made off with the car despite protestor’s best efforts. The Customs men had failed to impound the vehicle the previous day during a six hour stand off with Ms Davorn who simply refused to get out of her new car. The law apparently states that if you are in a car it can’t be impounded.

So there’s the answer folks. If you live in Donegal and drive a car bought in the North, simply move in and live in your car 24/7. The money you save on household bills etc will soon add up, allowing you to pay the duty owing on your car in no time at all. Then, simply move back into your home when you’ve paid the duty.