Written answers

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Health following the consultation on the draft European Tobacco Directive which was concluded on 16 January 2013 and you confirmed on 5 March 2013 that 6,400 responses were received and you also confirmed that the results of the public consultation and consultations with other Government Departments will feed into the discussions which are taking place with all Member States of the EU at the European Council's Working Party on Public Health which is chaired by Ireland during the Irish Presidency, the number of meetings of the Working Party on Public Health that have taken place where the Draft tobacco Directive was discussed since 16 January 2013; the number of the 6,400 submissions that supported a minimum pack size on 40g for rolling tobacco; the number of the 6,400 submissions that supported extending the Picture Health Warning to 75% of the pack; the number of the 6,400 submissions that supported the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16052/13]

Photo of Robert TroyRobert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Health in view of the fact that all Government Departments are mandated to conduct a Regulatory Impact Analysis to objectively look at legislative proposals and examine the reasons for it, the alternatives to it, the costs and the benefits; if a regulatory impact assessment was conducted by his Department in relation to the draft Tobacco Products Directive and the date on which this was this completed; if he will confirm what the findings of the impact assessment were in relation to jobs at a legitimate tobacco manufacturing facility in Mullingar, County Westmeath, which employs 100 people; if he will also confirm if the impact on smuggling and illegal selling of tobacco was taken into account in the regulatory impact assessment [16053/13]

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1126 and 1127 together.

Last December, the European Commission published a proposal for a new EU Tobacco Products Directive, the ultimate purpose of which is to reduce the numbers of people smoking. The proposal was published following extensive consultation of stakeholders in an EU wide public consultation which generated 85,000 responses. The proposal is being discussed by the European Parliament and Council of Ministers and the Commission has expressed the hope that it will be adopted by the European Parliament and Council in 2014. The Public Health Working Party has met seven times to discuss the Tobacco Products Directive. These meetings are ongoing and will continue throughout the Irish Presidency.

My Department has not conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment on the proposal to date. An Impact Assessment was conducted by the European Commission, which involved extensive public and targeted stakeholders' consultations. The Impact Assessment also considered a number of external studies, opinions from the Commission's independent Scientific Committee (SCENIHR) and Eurobarometer surveys. The Impact Assessment is available at .

As the Deputy is aware, my Department held a public consultation following the publication of the proposal. The analysis of the submissions received is ongoing.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.