Home > Dail Eireann debate. Finance Bill 2020: Second Stage [Tobacco].

[Oireachtas] Dail Eireann debate. Finance Bill 2020: Second Stage [Tobacco]. (05 Nov 2020)

External website: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2...


[Within the debate:]

  • Minister for Finance Deputy Paschal Donohoe: Section 25 confirms the budget increases in the rates of tobacco products tax and minimum excise duty for cigarettes by 50 cent on a pack of 20 cigarettes.
  • Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick: Section 25 of the Bill confirms a price increase on tobacco products. I have been a constant critic of the tobacco industry and am of the view that it should contribute more to the health costs arising out of the use of its products. It costs billions each year to treat people who have illnesses associated with tobacco.  It is time to charge additional taxes on those companies as a contribution to the yearly costs of treating patients affected by their products.
  • Deputy Michael Healy-Rae: Moving on to the increase in the tax on tobacco, I would be much happier if we lived in a world where nobody smoked. I do not believe, however, that it is right to penalise people who do smoke. 

……Deputy John Lahart: My constituency covers the areas of Greenhills, Templeogue, Rathfarnham, Tallaght, Ballycullen and Citywest. It has two major Garda stations in Tallaght and Rathfarnham. Obviously, Tallaght would be considered the mother ship. I am delighted with the additional Garda resources, including Garda cars and personnel, that will be allocated. The Garda has had significant drugs finds. It beggars belief that drug suppliers can get the drugs through even during a pandemic. They have used all sorts of creative methods to get their drugs to recipients, ranging from An Post to Parcel Motel. In fact, drug seizures were up approximately 5% on the same period in 2019, which is remarkable given how the country has been locked down for so long……

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