asked the Minister for Health the cost of his Department's anti-smoking campaign in each of the past three years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cost of Anti-Smoking Campaign.
177.
It is not possible for me to give the information sought by the Deputy. The elements which comprise the anti-cigarette smoking campaign conducted by my Department do not readily lend themselves to costing. Let me illustrate by quoting some examples of these elements. Some programmes in the health item in the weekly "Home Truths" television programme were either specially devoted to this topic or touched on the subject incidentally to a greater or lesser extent. Anti-cigarette smoking booklets and leaflets are distributed to children and adults. A code of standards for cigarette advertising was drawn up at the instigation of the Minister for Health. The film "Smoking and You," generally recognised as one of the most effective films for younger people on the subject so far produced, is included as one of the film shows given regularly in schools under an agreement with the National Film Institute. Some financial assistance has been given to the Irish Heart Foundation, a good deal of whose educational efforts encompass this cigarette smoking area. It would be impossible to cost efforts such as these in relation to an anti-smoking campaign.