Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In advance of today's meeting I met various interest groups which were both for and against the proposed directive. It struck me that those in the vending machine business were very much concerned about rolling tobacco. The point was made by the witness that young people did not necessarily have the money to buy a pack of 20 cigarettes, and they may move to the illegal trade because of changes in regulations regarding pouches and vending machines. Those in the vending machine business foresee a profound impact on sales when there is a price increase or change. In local pubs in Dublin, Cork and elsewhere, people sell illegal tobacco, and it is of grave concern if we are encouraging people to go to the illicit trade.