Vol. 508 No. 1
399 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Finance the groups and representative bodies which met with him or his predecessors in each of the years from 1990 to date to discuss possible increases in tobacco taxes prior to the delivery of the budget in each year; and the groups and representative organisations or bodies which furnished to him or his predecessors budget submissions concerning tobacco taxes in the same period. [17969/99]
Since my appointment as Minister, my officials and I have had two meetings with the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers' Advisory Committee, ITMAC, before the 1998 and 1999 budgets, on 7 November 1997 and on 4 November 1998, respectively. Prior to each meeting, I received a written submission from ITMAC, which typically sends in at least one pre-budget submission prior to each budget.
Since my appointment, I have received representations and pre-budget submissions from 14 individuals or groups concerning the excise duty on tobacco products, some recommending increased taxes, others reduced taxes. To date, in preparation for the forthcoming budget, I have received one pre-budget submission, which came from an organisation which opposes smoking, namely ASH.
