Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 32:

In page 75, to delete lines 12 to 38.

This measure relates to the increase in tax on tobacco products, including cigarettes. Some of us are in a minority in opposing it but, as we indicated in previous discussions, while we accept fully that cigarettes are bad and that we need to do something about them – I say that as a smoker – I do not believe that is what this measure is about. I do not think it is a health measure; it is a budget measure to grab money and it is one that largely hits the least well-off, as do so many tax increases on commodities people buy, whether they are good or bad for one’s health, such as cigarettes and alcohol. Such taxes increase the cost of living for ordinary people in a way that is regressive because it disproportionately affects people on lower incomes.

In so far as we need to deal with smoking, it should be dealt with through education and other health promotion measures which should be funded properly, but of course we are not funding such approaches properly. This is just a grab for money and I do not accept the logic behind it. I wish to record my opposition to the increase.

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