MEP says Government should sue tobacco firms

THE Government should sue tobacco companies to recoup the costs of healthcare for smokers, a Labour MEP has said.

Nessa Childers said the costs involved could no longer be tolerated and the tobacco companies should be made pay them.

“We must curb the massive related healthcare costs,” she said. “It costs the Irish state €1 billion per year to provide health services for smokers. These days, we simply can’t tolerate this any longer.