Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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159. To ask the Minister for Health if he has established the High Level Implementation Group to oversee the project plan for the introduction of plain packaging of tobacco products; the number of meetings which have been held to date, the Group’s plans for public consultation and hearings with health groups and other interested parties; if he will summarise the viewpoints expressed by his Department to the Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43789/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Government approval was received on 28 May 2013 to begin the process of introducing standardised packaging of tobacco products in Ireland. An interdepartmental Steering Group on Standardised Packaging has been established to oversee the implementation of a project plan. The group has met twice to date.

In line with the Regulatory Impact Assessment Guidelines published by the Department of the Taoiseach, my Department will be undertaking a Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) on the proposed legislation for the introduction of standardised packaging for tobacco products. Consultation with all relevant stakeholders is an integral part of the RIA process, which will also consider the costs, benefits and impacts of this proposal.

The Department of Health's policy on smoking is to promote and subsequently move toward a tobacco free society. Ireland's current policy document,Tobacco Free Ireland, which I launched on 3 October 2013, sets a target for Ireland to be tobacco free (i.e. with a prevalence rate of less than 5%) by 2025. The two key themes underpinning the report are protecting children and the denormalisation of smoking.