Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I would support that because I do not believe people should smoke if they can possibly avoid doing so. People are addicted to the damn weed. It is a very severe addiction and I say that from experience.

It is a nonsense that this is a health measure. It is not a health measure; it has no effect on the consumption of cigarettes because it is a small amount. It will bring in €63 million in one year. If it was effective, it would reduce the amount of money coming to the State. However, it is not effective and the Department of Finance can happily predict that it will increase the amount of revenue to the State by €63 million.

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