Feargal Quinn (Independent)

When I am in the city centre nowadays I still see cigarettes being sold illegally. If tight controls are to be placed on licensed retailers, I can understand their frustration when they see these illegal retailers selling on the street and not adhering to the new guidelines.

Subsection (11) refers to an offence under subsection (10), the purpose of which I do not fully understand. If convicted of an offence, a retailer could lose his or her licence to sell tobacco for a period of between three months and one year. I am concerned that this might happen by accident although I know a judge will take any explanation into account. Perhaps the Minister could explain subsection (10).