FG claims Government is letting down smokers

Fine Gael claims the Government believes it is cost-effective to have a population that smokes.

The controversial claim comes in the wake of a report by cigarette manufacturer Phillip Morris to the Czech Government.

The document claims that the Czech adminstration saved over £20m in health care and pension costs in 1999 as smokers die early.

Alan Shatter claims an increasing number of young people are becoming addicted to nicotine because of the government's failure to implement the National Anti-Smoking strategy.

The Minister said: "The serious question must be asked as to whether they (the Government) now assign to the economic policies of the Phillip Morris company, which is that you allow people to become nicotine-addicted, and as a consequence save Exchequer funds on pensions and health because people die too young."