Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

Will the Minister of State give some indication of how the transfer will take place and how the work of the Office of Tobacco Control will be integrated in the HSE? Will it be a separate section with the same personnel and director?

Regarding the approach taken in the budget, which is relevant, research by the Office of Tobacco Control has always suggested price is the key determinant of whether people stop smoking. I appreciate, as the Minister of State says, that the price of cigarettes in Ireland is the highest in the world. However, if price is the main deterrent, why was there no increase in the budget? I agree with Senator Ó Brolcháin that the rate of inflation is a factor. Was there lobbying by the tobacco industry and how much did it use the argument about smuggling to deter the Government from announcing an increase? It would be helpful if the Minister of State informed us of the Government's attitude and thinking because it is relevant. We are talking about prevention, the work of the Office of Tobacco Control and how it will be continued in its new incarnation in the HSE. At the time this is happening, the key action - increasing the price of cigarettes - was not taken in the budget. This is a relevant point to raise in the discussion of this section.