Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have two or three questions. In his opening presentation Mr. Fitzgerald said that based on EU research, the impact of tobacco consumption on the health budget is 3%. That seems extremely small based on what we have been told anecdotally, that tobacco consumption has a huge impact on the health budget. Could Mr. Fitzgerald please clarify that point?

A number of years ago we banned packs of ten cigarettes and the minimum one can purchase now is 20. The same provision is being introduced in this proposed directive in respect of loose tobacco to get rid of the smaller packages. What impact has the removal of the ten cigarette pack had on consumption, specifically among young people?

Could Mr. Fitzgerald elaborate on the point he made about flavours and what exactly he is talking about? It seems that these are alcopops for smokers. There was a huge public outcry when alcopops were introduced and tax was increased specifically on them because of the impact they had on young people, but now the same is happening in the tobacco industry with, for example, chocolate-flavoured cigarettes, which is totally unacceptable and needs to be banned outright.