Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have raised the issue of the sale of tobacco in this House previously and this Government has demonstrated its dedication to dealing with the scourge of tobacco smoking. The Minister for Health and the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, whom I welcome to the House, are committed to dealing with this. As part of my other profession I run a shop and I tend to know what the cigarette companies are up to, probably sooner than everybody else. I highlighted in this House how these companies were offering financial incentives to young staff in shops to promote branded cigarettes. I have discovered that this has not been happening since I highlighted it.

I am, however, greatly troubled by promotional material from one of the major cigarette companies offering packs of 25 cigarettes. Originally they were sold in tens and 20s until the ten packs were banned. The cigarette companies have very cleverly developed a 23 pack and now a 25 pack which they sell for less than €10. Per cigarette the price has been reduced. This is a very clever tactic for reducing the price of cigarettes. I want the Government immediately to ban the 25 and 23 packs or else ban 20 packs and introduce one pack with a single quantity, whether 20 or 25. I do not want the Government to wait to do this. It is within the Minister's power to ban this immediately, to issue a directive to the cigarette companies that they can sell only one packet of cigarettes with a particular dedicated quantity.

Senator Crown has been very active in the anti-tobacco campaign and highlighting the health issues surrounding tobacco use. I am very grateful to him for participating in this debate and I am glad to give him some of my time.