Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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826. To ask the Minister for Health if he will advance the proposal to introduce a levy on the tobacco industry; the discussions his Department has had with the Department of Finance on this following on from a recommendation in Tobacco Free Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19338/17]

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Tobacco Free Ireland, the report of the Tobacco Policy Review Group, was endorsed by Government, and published in October 2013. It builds on existing tobacco control policies and legislation already in place in this country, and sets a target for Ireland to be tobacco free (i.e. with a smoking prevalence rate of less than 5%) by 2025. Tobacco Free Ireland was among the first policy documents to be launched under the Healthy Ireland framework and will play a major part in achieving the vision set out in Healthy Ireland. The two key themes underpinning Tobacco Free Ireland are the protection of children and the denormalisation of smoking.

A high level action plan for Tobacco Free Ireland’s recommendations was published in March 2015 and Annual Reports monitoring progress are also published and are available on the Department of Health’s website.

This Government is committed to implementing Tobacco Free Ireland as outlined in the Programme for a Partnership Government. Considerable progress has been made and the action plan is being implemented as published.

The Tax Strategy Group which is an interdepartmental committee chaired by the Department of Finance, considers papers on various options for the Budget and for the medium and longer term. In its deliberations on taxation of tobacco products it has considered Tobacco Free Ireland’s recommendation for the introduction of a levy on the tobacco industry, representations from Non-Governmental Organisations in the health sector and the experience of other countries in this arena. To date the focus has been on the price of tobacco products at the retail level as price is considered to be an extremely important factor in influencing decisions around smoking. Excise duties have increased in 21 of the last 25 budgets and have had a positive impact of public health and revenue generated.

I will continue to press for further increases on tobacco products in subsequent budgets. The issue of a tobacco industry levy will be kept under consideration.