Mr. Steven Donaldson:

I wish to be very open about our profits in Ireland. We make approximately €7.9 million in Ireland. Some 87.4% of our total revenue goes to the Government in taxes and excise. We have pension contributions of approximately €3 million to consider. I am unsure where the figure of €227 million comes from but we have a 17% share of the market and that figure seems greatly overstated.

Do I smoke or not? Someone asked that question. I do not smoke regularly. I smoke only when I am out with some friends. I am not a regular smoker. Would I like my children to smoke? No, I know what the serious risks of smoking are so I would not like my children to smoke. I will educate them and I hope that some of the proposals that we have suggested relating to education in different countries can be introduced to ensure that children who grow up in Ireland are fully aware and are not suspect to any peer pressure to smoke. Clearly, at the moment, the education systems we have in place are not working as effectively as they could, because we have got a youth initiation rate. I commend some of the initiatives that have taken place, like the Exhale Session from the Irish Cancer Society which is exactly the type of peer pressure or peer influence programme that can work in Ireland. We have seen similar models work in Sweden, where they have a duo programme which I call on the committee members to consider. They have a big buddy system where a senior person works with a junior person or teenager and makes a commitment not to smoke for three years. They get loyalty cards and incentives and go to events off the back of them. These are the types of initiatives that I call on the committee to consider.

Questions were asked about branding overall and Vogue specifically. The Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, has raised the Vogue pink pack on several occasions as a matter of concern. That brand was researched among 20 to 35 year old female adult smokers who smoke a competitor brand - I do not intend to go into the branding. The brand is aimed at that group solely. There should be no access to any consumers under it. We have no research to indicate anyone other than adults females between the ages of 20 and 40 years are smoking that brand, to be clear. In the year and a half since its introduction the pink pack has not worked or generated any sales and has since been de-listed from the market.

Furthermore, under the tobacco products directive, TPD, that is coming forward 65% of the top of a pack will be a health warning. What we are effectively talking about is whether the bottom strip of 35% of the pack can carry legal trademarks. That format is also-----