I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the process of embossing secure tax stamps on cigarette packaging is the method currently used to assist in the detection of illicit cigarettes. Tax stamps are examined using a range of hand held devices that are available to all Revenue enforcement staff. The Revenue Commissioners advise that in 2009 the technical specification for tax stamps was significantly upgraded to make it more difficult for the stamps to be counterfeited. The stamp was further enhanced in 2011. The Revenue Commissioners further advise that this latest version has proven to be extremely robust in that regard. The Revenue Commissioners are constantly exploring ways to improve their methods of detecting illicit cigarettes. They are aware of the proposal to develop a smart phone application referred to by the Deputy and understand that this would operate by reading the bar-coding affixed to packaging by cigarette manufacturers. One of the key elements of any security feature on cigarette packaging is that it must be extremely difficult to copy. The Commissioners advise that it is not fully clear to them that bar coding would satisfy this particular requirement. Revenue will continue to examine any additional potential opportunities that bar coding and the use of phone apps for that purpose may offer but at present they have no plans to get involved in the development of an app which would be of marginal value in relation to their overall security requirements.
