Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

Last year, the Government had the nonsense of increasing the cost of a packet of 20 cigarettes by 30 cent to save us all from ourselves. However, the Government also stated it intended to take €63 million extra out of our pockets for it. When I stated this last year there were headlines that "Stagg proposes a €3 increase on packet of cigarettes". If the Government was serious about applying this as a health measure, then the increase would be much greater. Let us see this for what it is. The increase represents what the traffic can bear and what will maximise the take for the Government. It will bring in €105 million in one year.

With regard to resolution No. 8, as Deputy Charles Flanagan stated, the Government's plans forced people out of Dublin——

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