Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 December 2012
159. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance if it is possible to control tobacco prices in the same way as energy prices are controlled; if implementing such controls would change the proportion of the retail price of tobacco that would go to the Exchequer, as outlined by health groups; and if such a policy has the potential to raise a minimum of €100 million in the first year of its introduction. [54090/12]
View answerI assume the Deputy to refer to the proposal to introduce a price cap of the pre-tax price of tobacco. Preliminary advice on this suggests that any proposal to interfere with the ability of manufacturers to set the maximum price level for tobacco is a breach of Council Directive 2011/64/EU on the structure and rates of excise duty applied to manufactured tobacco. In the circumstances, therefore, I am not in a position to outline potential revenue that could be raised.
