John Gilroy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. It is appropriate that the Minister has introduced the Bill in the Seanad on the same day that we concluded legislation to prohibit the use of sunbeds to those under the age of 18 years. Those are two pieces of legislation which undoubtedly will save many lives into the future. His introductory comments where he quotes senior members of the tobacco industry, as recently as ten years ago, who blatantly deny the great harm that tobacco does are worth noting. They point to the lengths to which the industry will go to protect its profits. Truthfulness or integrity does not enter into it where profits of such large proportions are being made. Some 50 new smokers are required every day to maintain the current customer base and one third of those customers are required to replace customers who have died by the use of it. That is worth reflecting on.

Senator Jillian van Turnhout has pointed to the fact that tobacco is the only product we know of where its intentional and stated use is to shorten one's life and kill one prematurely. We know that children under 18 years of age are the most likely cohort to target to replace customers who have died. It is the same cohort that is most amenable to advertising. It makes perfect sense that we should do everything possible to reduce the number of children who start smoking. The Minister said that 76% of people start to smoke before the age of 18 years. We have a good history in Ireland with regard to pioneering legislation when it comes to harmful products. We can point to the Minister's predecessor who was responsible for banning smoking in the workplace. At the time the industry issued all kinds of dire warnings and said the sky would fall in on our heads if this was done. We did it and life just carried on very much the same as before. The industry raised hares that were not accurate in its efforts to maintain market share.

The tobacco industry is acting a little more insidiously this time, rather than directly confronting the Minister and the Department. This time, it is raising red herrings and things that are not directly affected. On the issue of smuggling, I would point to Andorra as Senator van Turnhout has done. The industry does not care where the tax is being paid. The differential in prices is what makes it worth smugglers' time doing it. The industry receives a profit from Andorra and places where low taxes apply. That they are subsequently shipped across borders illegally is of no concern to the industry but it is a matter of great concern to us. Smuggling is the great red herring that is being raised.

I have heard it stated many times that the Bill will not work. On TV3 the Minister gave an interview in which he said he was confronted with the argument that there was no evidence that this will work. Other arguments put forward suggest that if one is serious about doing anything about reducing tobacco consumption, one should do something else. Those who say that singularly fail to point out what the "something else" might be. There are many reasons the tobacco industry can put forward such as, there are other things in society that are more harmful than cigarettes. The point has been made about sunbeds that if one was serious about preventing cancer, one would ban sunbeds. At least we did that. That is one argument that can no longer be made to us. The evidence is contained in this and 76 reports and reviews and in Australia where the demonstrable effects or benefits are there for all to see.

I commend the Minister on his work in this and many other areas. He has been a pioneering and reforming Minister in this area. Let us do it.