Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In April 2013, I made a speech in this House in which I referenced the presentation of Retail Excellence Ireland to the justice committee. It had brought to our attention that 12% of all diesel sold in Ireland was illegal. Nineteen oil laundries were detected and closed and 690,000 litres of oil were seized. It also made the point that almost 25% of the cigarette market is sourced from the black market and 109 million illegal cigarettes with a value of €45.9 million were seized. It estimates the Exchequer loses €861 million annually. This is a real threat. I wish to send two messages today. The first is to business people who work with the criminal gangs and to people who purchase cigarettes on the black market. We need the taxes on cigarettes for health services. When people smoke, as is their right, they will be unhealthy and will have to go to hospital. Those taxes, therefore, need to be paid to cover all of this.

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