Martin: Taoiseach must fight tobacco lobbyists
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been called upon to lead the campaign to introduce plain packaging on packets in a bid to reduce the numbers of smokers.
The call from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin comes after the Irish Examiner revealed the growing efforts by industry and business groups to stop the anti-smoking measure.
Businesses, chambers of commerce, retail groups and farming organisations from here and around the globe wrote to Mr Kenny in recent months pushing him and other ministers to drop the plan.
Letters to Mr Kenny came from groups at home as well as from the US, Canada, Turkey, Indonesia, and other EU states with claims the ban is contrary to international trade rules and will face a legal challenge.
One minister was even handed a letter and statements from 71 business groups in the US last week, which included a warning from the US Chamber of Commerce that the plan will have a “significant” impact on Ireland’s economy.
Up to 27 MEPs also wrote to Mr Kenny earlier this year urging him to drop the ban. Responding to the growing lobbying efforts, Mr Martin said he had faced considerable opposition to the workplace smoking ban that he introduced in 2004 as health minister.
“The lobbying comes from many sources. The Government simply has to resist it very strongly. They should lay on more, senior barristers with the attorney general’s office and go through every possible legal vulnerability to make sure it is ready for a legal challenge. You have to do a counter campaign. You should not be shy about fighting back,” said Mr Martin.
Mr Kenny needed to publicly say the Government was introducing the ban to protect future generations and that it had nothing to with intellectual property rights, as claimed by businesses. Under the new law, cigarette packs will look the same without branding or logos. Ireland would be the first EU state to introduce such laws.
However, the US Chamber of Commerce in Brussels, which has lodged a challenge to the new law with the European Commission, claims the ban will impact on the trade of goods. Vice president Peter Chase yesterday told RTÉ’s News at One the ban would also be contrary to Ireland’s obligations under the World Trade Organisation.
“The issue of plain packaging goes to the question of basic intellectual property rights protection rather than the issue of addressing public health issues associated with smoking,” he said.
A spokesman for the Taoiseach last night defended his actions. “The Government’s campaign comes in the form of introducing the legislation. The plan is ongoing and will be completed. Like any legislation, it is open to be challenged. But there is determination in this area.”
The Department of Health, overseeing the ban, said: “Arguments put out there by the tobacco industry regarding increased illicit trade and supposed job losses from the retail sector should not deflect from doing what is right.”
