The Irish Heart Foundation has slammed the "paltry" increase in excise duty on cigarettes and its failure to impose a so-called sugar tax on fizzy drinks in the Budget.

Two organisations are calling for tax increases in the tobacco industry in next year's Budget.

Concerns have been expressed over the welfare of the elderly as the introduction of a carbon tax on solid fuels comes into effect today.

Youngsters are being used as mules by tobacco-smuggling gangs to go door-to-door delivering packets of cheap cigarettes in housing estates, it was claimed tonight.