Tobacco sector blamed for swamping warning campaign in paperwork

Attempts are being to drown the Department of Health in paper to frustrate efforts to put larger warnings on cigarette packets, it has emerged.

The department’s chief medical officer, Tony Holohan, told the committee on health and children it had received 6,000 submissions in recent months.

“This is part of the tactical game to drown us in paper,” said Dr Holohan, who claimed the submissions were made by a range of different parties.