Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for their presentations. I wish to ask about plain packaging and counterfeiting and direct this to whomever feels it is most appropriate to answer on that. Two statements were read out. The Assistant Commissioner said that the quality of counterfeit goods, which are already readily available across international markets is so good that the identification of the authentic product is often difficult for experts in the field. The following is the sentence I want him to address, namely, "Those involved in counterfeiting can counterfeit what they need". Mr. Moran from the Office of the Revenue Commissioners said that he was very confident that we could deal with this and that the tax stamp will certainly contain all the features possible to minimise the risk of counterfeiting. Has he faith in that process? What we are hearing and what we have read in a submission we received from shop owners and retail outlets is that plain packaging will serve to make the process of counterfeiting substantially easier and cheaper while providing a stimulus to the black market. I would like Mr. Moran to comment on that.
I wish to cite what an unnamed senior customs official was reported as saying in the media. He said:

The Minister might be well-meaning, but he is playing right into the hands of the Real IRA and their criminal cronies. They won't have to copy hundreds of different packs any more - because they'll all look the same.

Does Mr. Moran share any of those concerns? Will the Garda and the Revenue need more resources if plain packaging is introduced? If that serves to make the process of counterfeiting easier, do the witnesses believe those resources will be available to them?
Plain packaging has been introduced in Australia. Has Mr. Gerry Maguire engaged with our Australian colleagues since the introduction of standardised packaging and can he report on the trends in Australia during the past 12 months? It has been stated by the HSE and, I believe, by the Minister, Deputy Reilly, that the long-term goal is to reduce smoking prevalence to 5% by 2025. Has he got medium-term targets set between now and 2025? With all the health education and everything that is being done by the HSE, Revenue, the Garda, Deputies, educationalists, the Irish Heart Foundation and all the various groups, why has the prevalence of smoking not decreased?