Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support the financial resolution. I would go further and argue that a 50 cent increase in the price of a packet of cigarettes is not enough and the increase should have been at least €1 per packet. This should be a public health rather than a revenue raising issue. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy took a strong position on the issue of reducing risk taking activity when she was a Minister of State in the Department of Health. Smoking is a major risk taking activity. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae spoke of friends who died as a result of smoking. Having observed patients dying of smoking-related diseases such as heart and chronic lung disease or having limbs amputated, I am aware of the serious consequences of smoking. We must concentrate on this area and on educating young people about smoking. Speaking to teenagers, the smell of smoke from their clothing is a much more important issue for them than the health effects of smoking because they believe they are invincible. We must try to educate people from a young age.

A delegation from Moldova attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Health in the early summer of last year. The smoking rate in that country is 37%, whereas the rate here is 21%. The delegation travelled here specifically to find out what measures we had taken to reduce the number of smokers and its members were very impressed with the reduction we have achieved in smoking rates.

I would also go a little further than the Minister by ring-fencing revenue raised through this measure for use in addressing health issues, rather than have it flow into the general taxation coffers. The Sláintecare report refers to establishing a national health fund in which revenue from so-called sin taxes, for example, taxes on tobacco, would be ring-fenced to deliver health services, rather than being put into general revenue coffers. I support the financial resolution.

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