James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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This amendment seeks to prohibit a brand and variant name from appearing on a cigarette stick and instead place an alpha-numeric code. The Bill allows for a brand and variant name to appear on the cigarette stick itself in order to distinguish one brand of cigarette from another. The Bill provides for the colour of the stick and limits the tobacco industry to white paper with a white or imitation cork tip, so the area is regulated.

It is important to state that the inclusion of a brand and variant name must be of a form and manner set out in regulations. The regulations will include colour of names, font type, font size, positioning and appearance of the names. Again, the State must give consideration to the proportionality of a measure and on that basis I cannot accept the amendment in this regard. In short, there are quite severe restrictions and limitations on how the cigarette stick itself may be presented.