Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I would like to amplify Deputy Smith's question. It is now almost a pro formameasure to add 50 cent or €1 to the price of cigarettes every year. Nobody objects to it because there is a compelling health issue, but smuggling is a real concern now. This does not just mean criminality. We do not know the contents of illegal cigarettes, which are extensively sold in housing estates throughout the country. There is a lot of interdiction of cigarettes but this is a really worrying issue. We need a much clearer messaging system to reach the 14% of our people who are heavy smokers and the cohort of occasional smokers who may be added to that. We are down to a core of people who need to be reached and helped by supplying free therapy, medication or whatever is needed to finally break that addiction. My colleague, Deputy Smith, is right. There has to be some limit to simply using pricing as a weapon. Education is important and we have very good education systems, but we are not reaching that final cohort. I am interested in hearing what the Minister is going to do about it.

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