Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank NFRN Ireland for its submission. Recently I attended a briefing in Limerick organised by the retailers at which the tobacco companies and the Revenue customs officials were present, and it was quite informative. They said much of what Mr. Sweeney said here today.

I ask Mr. Sweeney to be a little more prescriptive in how the illegal tobacco trade should be dealt with. It is fine saying there should be more enforcement and more penalties, but one is dealing with Premiership-style criminality in the crime gangs involved. If the State seeks to increase the taxation on tobacco, it is a matter of balance in trying to raise revenue but also not drive more of the market into the hands of those who are peddling the product on the black market. What exactly is NFRN Ireland saying is the best way to deal with it? Could Mr. Sweeney be a little more prescriptive and give a little more detail in terms of what NFRN Ireland is looking for? Rather than merely stating they need more enforcement or more penalties, could he give more detail on that?