Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 7

Written Answers. - Tobacco-Related Illnesses.

David Stanton

Question:

225 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Health and Children the estimated cost to the State of medical treatment for each of the past ten years which can be linked to smoking tobacco products; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7099/98]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

It is very difficult to estimate the full medical costs of treating smoking-related illnesses in Ireland. Many of the costs overlap with treatments for other illnesses and there are substantial indirect costs to the State from smoking which cannot easily be quantified. Tentative estimates of the hospital costs of medical treatment for smoking-related illness indicate a figure of approximately £80 million to £100 million per annum in current terms. This excludes any non-hospital costs and indirect costs arising.

My Department supports the work of other agencies in a series of initiatives aimed at reducing the incidence, and therefore the medical treatment costs, of smoking in the population. These include the development of anti-smoking centred policies and programmes by health boards and the provision of smoking clinics by general practitioners. The Department also works closely with the Irish Cancer Society and other agencies in programmes to help people stop smoking.

The health strategy Shaping a Healthier Future sets a target of reducing the percentage of those who smoke by at least one percentage point a year so that more than 80 per cent of the population aged fifteen years and over are non-smokers by the year 2000. The strategy indicated that this target could be achieved by: extending the environmental controls over tobacco; reducing the allowable budgets for advertising of tobacco products and sponsorship by tobacco manufacturers and distributors; launching a voluntary code on smoking in the workplace; and continued action by doctors and other health professionals to encourage a decrease in smoking.

Regulations were introduced in 1996 which prohibited or further restricted smoking in various public areas and facilities and an EU-wide ban on the advertising of tobacco products was agreed by the EU Council of Health Ministers in December 1997.

I am committed to pursuing policies which reduce the level of smoking in Ireland. Achieving the target set out in the health strategy would help reduce the expenditure required each year on tobacco-related illness.