Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I too am opposed to this tax increase. I feel it will place undue hardship on people, especially those with mental health problems. They will tell you smoking is the only consolation they have. If you weigh it up, the extra money they will get in their social welfare payments would not even cover the cost of the extra 50 cent if they were to smoke a packet of cigarettes a day and maybe a couple more in the run of the week. The extra fiver will not go far in that regard. It will never stop those people from having or wanting to smoke. Many of them developed an addiction for cigarettes long before it became clear that it was harmful. We should try to do something in our schools by way of increased education about the harmfulness of smoking. As for the many people living alone who have this craving for cigarettes, it is unfair to suggest that this increase in the cost of a box of cigarettes would help them or make them think they should stop smoking. That is a fairly ridiculous suggestion. It is much the same as the carbon tax. People have to use fuel to get to work and for all the other things, and elderly people have to use fuel to keep themselves warm. Again, this is nonsensical and more thought should have been put into it. It will hurt people who have mental illness or maybe depression when that is all they can reach for or want to reach for when they are in a certain situation. Cigarettes are certainly expensive as it is, and adding 50 cent to the price of them will not stop people who love smoking. It is fairly ridiculous and I will not vote for this measure.

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