asked the Minister for Health the total sum spent by his Department on advertising his anti-smoking campaign on (a) radio, (b) TV, (c) newspapers and (d) magazines in 1968, 1969 and 1970.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Anti-Smoking Campaign.
10.
The answer to the Deputy's question in respect of the financial years ended 31st March, 1968, 1969 and 1970 under each of the four headings into which he breaks his question is nil. In those years the anti-cigarette smoking campaign of the Department of Health concentrated itself in three broad areas, viz. the dissemination of leaflets particularly to school children; the school film shows given in schools throughout the country by the National Film Institute on behalf of the Department of Health; and the inclusion in appropriate television and radio magazine programmes of features to educate the public as to the health hazard of cigarette smoking.
In the current year, however, an additional sum of £25,000 has been made available to mount an intensified anti-cigarette smoking campaign aimed at the young. To date in this financial year a sum of £7,654 has been paid out on producing material for, and advertising in, the media mentioned by the Deputy but accounts are not yet available in respect of the entire campaign. It is anticipated that practically the entire sum will be spent in the year.
I should, of course, add that so far as the television campaign in the current year is concerned, the showing of the "Smoking Kills your Taste for Life" series of filmlets is not charged for by Radio Telefís Éireann. They are being shown free of charge during commercial time as part of the RTE Authority's public service contribution. If the showings had to be paid for at the going commercial rates I would estimate that they would have cost my Department around £17,500 in the period between October last to January last.
(Cavan): Does not the Minister consider it to be a little absurd that the anti-smoking advertisements to which he has referred should be running on television while, at the same time, and on the same evenings, advertisements calculated to promote smoking are running also?
I speak subject to correction but, so far as I know, RTE advertising of cigarettes ceases entirely on the 1st April.
(Cavan): But they are running at the moment.
Could the Minister say whether the campaign would be a feature of the schools magazine Civics or if the anti-smoking campaign will become a feature of civics teaching?
I could not say but I will make inquiries into that. At the moment, we are in touch with the schools through the lectures that are continuing. I would not know whether it would be appropriate to include this material in a magazine on civics—a magazine that deals solely with civics matters. I shall have to look into that.