€80m tax return hike shows anti-smoking ‘failures’

THE €80 million increase in tobacco revenue to the Exchequer is a frightening illustration of the Government’s failure to advance its anti-smoking policies, a tobacco free lobby group has claimed.

Tax returns from tobacco revenue were €128m down in 2004 on the previous year.

The latest figures from the Department of Finance, however, show an €80m increase in tobacco-related excise in 2005, as well as a 4.1% increase in tobacco clearances - the volume of tobacco released into the marketplace.