John Crown (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Minister may not have been briefed on this breaking development. However, he will be in a position to indicate whether he is aware that the meeting in question took place and whether he advised his political colleagues not to proceed with it. The meeting in question may be in breach of the 2004 directive regarding transparency in lobbying by the tobacco industry. Apparently, the main item on the agenda for the meeting was smuggling, but the discussion then took in matters such as plans to ban roll-your-own and menthol cigarettes and introduce plain packaging. Apparently, these are issues on which the industry has lobbied.