Ministers under fire over tobacco industry meetings

Officials from the departments of Finance and Jobs and Enterprise have been accused of not disclosing meetings with the tobacco industry at a time of intensive lobbying against new EU legislation.

A number of meetings were held with officials from the Department of Finance before the budget.

Since July, there was a meeting between tobacco industry representatives and officials of the Revenue Commissioners on tobacco enforcement and control, according to a written reply from Minister Michael Noonan.