The Department of Health’s analysis of the impact of forcing cigarette companies to use plain packaging was a box-ticking exercise that breached the Government’s own analysis guidelines, the country’s biggest tobacco company has claimed.

The tobacco industry and a leading cancer charity have offered opposing verdicts on the success of the plain packaging of cigarettes, two years to the day since the measure was first introduced in Australia.

Coca-Cola has held on to its position as the biggest selling brand in the Irish grocery market for 10 years, according to the latest Checkout Top 100 Brands report, produced by Checkout magazine in association with Nielsen.

Bumper sales of cheese and onion crisps and bottles of Coca Cola were not enough to prevent profits tumbling at Mountjoy jail’s million-euro tuck shop.

Reduced income as a result of the recession and high levels of government duty on a 20-pack of cigarettes is driving tobacco smuggling, according to manufacturers.

A public representative who defrauded the State by selling contraband cigarettes has refused to resign her seat.

A Bangladeshi national working in a shop in Cork waited until the store was closed and stole more than €1,500 worth of cigarettes over a five-week period.

The High Court has reserved judgment on whether a district court judge was correct in her interpretation of the law when she dismissed a prosecution against tobacco manufacturer PJ Carroll for giving vouchers to shop staff as a reward for promoting its cigarette products.

EIGHT million cigarettes smuggled into the country from China have been seized by customs officers and gardaí.

Cigarette smuggling cost the Government €556m in lost taxes and duty last year, it was revealed today.

British department store chain Debenhams today named its successor to retail veteran John Lovering, who is stepping down after seven years as chairman.

CUSTOMS officers have disrupted an illegal tobacco distribution network following a significant seizure in Cork – the value of which was revised upwards last night.

COUNTERFEIT cigarettes 10 times more carcinogenic than shop-sold brands and containing traces of urine have been seized in a major crackdown.

Coca-Cola is the biggest selling brand in Irish shopping baskets, it emerged today.

COCA-COLA is still the top selling brand in Ireland despite shoppers becoming more health conscious.

The London market tumbled to its lowest close for more than two months today as investors’ faith in a fast-paced recovery wavered.

The London market enjoyed a reversal of fortunes today as it leapt into the black after better-than-expected US consumer confidence figures.

The FTSE 100 Index drifted lower today as fresh belligerence from North Korea unsettled investors.

Imperial Tobacco could be poised to make a third takeover approach to Gauloises cigarette maker Altadis, it was reported today.

THE Government is not doing enough to stop children taking up smoking, a leading anti-tobacco campaigner said yesterday as new figures showed that cigarette sales are on the increase in Ireland.

Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut owner Gallaher today backed a £7.5bn (€11.2bn) takeover offer from the world’s third largest tobacco company.

Japan Tobacco has agreed to acquire Britain’s Gallaher Group for nearly £10bn (€14.9bn), the largest corporate acquisition by a Japanese company, it is reported today.

The London market was on the rise today after takeover interest in cigarette giant Gallaher lit up the tobacco sector.

Cigarette makers offered a spark to the London’s leading shares today amid speculation over a takeover battle for Benson & Hedges owner Gallaher.

Tobacco shares were ignited today by speculation over a takeover battle for Gallaher, which owns the brands Benson & Hedges and Silk Cut.

ANTI-SMOKING campaigners last night called for €2 extra to be put on a packet of 20 cigarettes to stub out the rising numbers of smokers.

INTERNATIONAL cigarette maker Gallaher Group has maintained its market leader position in Ireland, this year, with a 49.1% share of the tobacco sector.

Tobacco company 'Gallagher' said today it was disappointed by the announcement of a workplace smoking ban in the North.

British American Tobacco vowed today to “vigorously defend itself” after Canada’s Supreme Court cleared the way for the company to be sued for costs of smoking-related illnesses.

CHANGE this decision or face the consequences.

Takeover talk was fuelling London shares again today as the FTSE 100 Index held ground above the key 5000 barrier.

Silk Cut-to-Hamlet group Gallaher today announced plans to restructure its factories in the UK and the North as part of an overhaul that could affect 250 jobs in Europe.

HEINEKEN Ireland has increased sales by volume by 5% despite the introduction of the smoking ban, but the company’s Murphy’s Stout sales fell by 5% in the first half of the year.

Silk Cut owner Gallaher today posted a 4.4% rise in profits, despite what the company said was the negative impact on sales of the smoking ban in Ireland and higher taxes on cigarettes in Germany.

Global tobacco giant Gallagher said its Irish sales fell 9.3% in the first five months of 2004.

THE blue-chip index will be looking to push to 19-month highs this week, powered by results from Britain's biggest banker HSBC, among a slew of others.

HEALTH Minister Micheál Martin has been forced into an embarrassing climbdown in his attempts to stop investment of taxpayer’s money in cigarette companies.

THE world’s largest tobacco manufacturer has conceded that ventilation in pubs and restaurants has no health benefits for passive smokers.

JEAN Van de Velde finally returns to golf today, 10 months on from the knee injury which threatened his career.

SMOKERS have been left with another reason to fume after the cost of several popular brands of cigarettes rose by 10 cent yesterday.

Tobacco company Gallaher, which makes Benson & Hedges cigarettes, today reported a 15% surge in pre-tax profits for last year and said 2003 was on track to meet market expectations.

EDDIE JORDAN has vowed to make his team a Formula One force again after several seasons in the doldrums.

IN the past, we had come to expect fireworks and flashing lights when Eddie Jordan unveiled a new driver.