Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Health and Children in view of the increasing number of cigarette seizures and reports of wide availability of counterfeit cigarettes if she will consider conducting a review of the tobacco regulatory framework; if she will consider conducting a review of the impact the point of sale display ban is having on the illicit and counterfeit cigarette trade since its introduction one year ago; if she will consider conducting a review of the dangers associated with counterfeit cigarettes and investigating some of the ingredients which can be found in the cigarettes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30424/10]

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I have no plans to conduct a review of our tobacco control framework. I am not aware of evidence that the ban on point of sale advertising introduced in July last has had an impact on smuggling of tobacco products. This ban was one of a number of measures introduced to protect children and adults from the dangers of tobacco consumption. The Revenue Commissioners and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for dealing with the issue of illicit trade of tobacco products.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 121 on 23 June, if she will provide the observations her Department submitted concerning the draft guidelines for the implementation of Articles 9 and 10 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which are to be presented to the 4th Conference of the Parties in November; if her Department were involved in drafting the text for the preamble for Articles 9 and 10 of the FCTC; the other countries involved in drafting the preamble if any; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30425/10]

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I confirm that my Department supports the elaboration of the draft guidelines for implementation of Article 9 & 10 and are in principle in favour of their adoption at the 4th Conference of the Parties in November. Preliminary comments that were agreed by Member States have been forwarded by the EU to the WHO. As the official negotiations on the draft guidelines have not yet been opened, it is not appropriate to elaborate further on the matter.