Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I am not quite convinced these increases in excise duties on cigarettes result in a reduction in cigarette smoking. I know they raise some very healthy revenues for the State, and this measure will raise an additional €63 million, but where is the evidence that they actually cause people to give up the fags? We hear this every year and it is very difficult to argue against the case for an increase in excise duty and that it is designed as a health measure. It raises revenue but does it reduce tobacco consumption because I do not see any great evidence that is the case? Perhaps the Taoiseach has some figures which will convince me otherwise.

Apart from that, it has an impact on people who are hooked on cigarettes. I am thinking particularly of older people who have smoked all their lives and who are on small incomes. This is another hit on their relatively meagre incomes. Where is the evidence this is actually working as a health measure?

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