Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies. I appreciate that it is an imposition on those who already smoke and who have an addiction. One of the things we are doing is increasing the supports to help people stop. For example, nicotine replacement patches have been made free of charge. There is progress being made. I appreciate that it is a burden. Ultimately, however, the biggest burden for anybody is to be caught by these tobacco companies and to be addicted. We know and we have very strong evidence that price is linked to reducing the prevalence of smoking.

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