FIANNA Fáil councillor and country music star Tom Allen has defended his decision to go north to buy vehicles, despite figures last week that show an alarming increase in cross-border shopping.

Athlone's Allen – better known as Irish country music singer TR Dallas – said he has now switched the yellow UK plates on his Ford Transit for Irish ones but sees nothing wrong with his purchase.

Irish businesses reacted with concern last week to new research that showed a 25% increase in the number of people crossing the border to spend their money, mostly on groceries.

Cllr Allen, a former car salesman, said that he needed the special van with an extra high roof for his travelling around the country to shows.

"I didn't steal it. I bought it for my music business to take my gear around the country," he told the Sunday Tribune.

"If I was doing something awfully wrong do you think the people would have re-elected me? It's just because I am a politician and there was a sign [on the van] for the election.

"We would have friends in high and low places in the car industry. The people want me politically and they want me musically and that is all I care about."

During the local elections in June, Cllr Allen raised a few eyebrows when his Armagh-bought van was spotted driving around with the slogan: "Working for all of the people, all of the time."

But the politician refused to admit that his purchase went against the spirit of supporting the local economy.

"We get it serviced here and we buy diesel here. My wife has a car she bought in Ireland," the former salesman said.

"I was looking for a particular type of van with an extra high roof but I couldn't get one in Ireland so I came on this one and said 'Hallelujah! This is what I wanted."

Since the recession kicked in, Irish businesses have been increasingly worried about people visiting Northern Ireland to look for cheaper prices on goods, a phenomenon that is set to cost the country around €810m this year compared to just €640m in 2008.

The most common type of cross-border spending has come in the form of grocery and alcohol purchases with serious concerns emerging for Irish businesses in the run-up to Christmas.