Geraldine Feeney (Fianna Fail)

I am one of two Senators - Senator O'Malley was in the Lower House at the time - who was here when legislation on this area was first enacted in 2002, followed by the smoking ban legislation in 2004. It struck me earlier that the legislation and policy on smoking has changed 100% since 2002 and credit should be given where credit is due. I commend all the Ministers and Ministers of State, including this Minister, Deputy Brady, who were involved from 2002 to today on the great work they have done.

I have four children and, sadly, three of them are smokers. I was delighted to hear the Minister of State refer to section 6, which deals with the pictorial warnings. I looked at the graphic pictures this morning and some of them are terribly scary. If I were a smoker I would give up smoking immediately and put the cigarettes in the bin. I am going to blow up these pictures to make them more clear, bring them home and pin them up around my kitchen for the summer because they scare the daylights out of me and I hope they will have the same effect on my children who are in their 20s.

I am delighted that this section of the Bill is finally being enacted. I understand Senator Fitzgerald's reservations about letting retailers off the hook by not coming down hard on them if they are found to be selling cigarettes to children under the age of 18, and that is what they are if they are under 18, but we should compare like with like. The problems addressed in the Intoxicating Liquor Act have harrowing consequences for young people who are drinking but the effects of smoking can be as severe on young people's health. I am glad it is being brought into line with that legislation and that it is at the discretion of members of the Judiciary.

I realise cigarettes are now stored behind a shutter but we still have the pictures. It is a good idea to remove those because young people may not be aware that they can buy cigarettes in a particular shop. If they are under age they may not want to ask if cigarettes are sold whereas when the pictures were displayed they just went in and bought them. Young teenagers have a great attitude and nothing is beyond them. They have a sense of boldness and that everything will be at their disposal. We would like to be able to put old heads on young shoulders but that is not the way it works.

Senator Fitzgerald described how irate ASH and the Irish Cancer Society were but I did not get a sense that they were terribly irate. I am aware their representatives frequently sat in the Gallery on the occasions when this legislation was going through the House, particularly the Irish Cancer Society representatives, and its representatives are in the Gallery again today, and they were always very welcoming of the measures the Minister of the day was implementing. By and large, they are pleased and they would be the first to hold their hands up and say we have moved on this issue and that we are in a different position now than was the case all those years ago.

I was surprised to learn that there are only five specialist tobacco shops in the country. I am aware of one in Sligo where I live. It is a musty old shop but it has great character and an old world atmosphere and one would hate to see those shops close down. Perhaps we should consider the position in other countries, particularly France where there are specialist tobacco shops, which is the only place one can buy cigarettes. Many years ago my late husband and I were walking the streets of Paris very late at night trying to find a shop that sold cigarettes and I prayed we would come across one because he was going out of his mind looking for a cigarette. I cursed the fact that they could not be bought in supermarkets but we might consider something like that.

I was glad to hear the Minister say that her officials are examining section 6 in terms of the graphic warnings. As harrowing as those graphic pictures are I would prefer to see them on a box of cigarettes rather than the printed warning.

I welcome the Minister and I welcome the Bill, which is an important measure to protect young people. As Senator Fitzgerald pointed out, more than €1 billion is spent every year on treating smoking related illness. We must examine that into the future and try to cut back.