Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In addition, for people who are on FIS there is an increase of €5 for the first child and €10 for the subsequent children. We also have the disregard for the jobseeker's transitional arrangements. So there are very specific measures. I would certainly hope that as little as possible of the increase in payments to lone parents or anyone else on social welfare would be spent on cigarettes and tobacco. People are free to spend their money in whatever way they wish. I acknowledge the Deputy's stance on cigarettes over many years. From a public health point of view, and for the sake of children in a household where there is smoking and who are exposed to passive smoke, I concur with the Deputies who said that as a society and as a Parliament we should do all we can to deter people from smoking. Pricing is a deterrent.

There is a problem with smuggling.

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