The increase in the price of cigarettes is "an extra tax" on poor people "under the fraudulent disguise of assisting public health", according to the Socialist TD, Mr Joe Higgins.
He said cigarettes were a "despicable and dangerous" habit but they were addictive and poor people smoked them as one of the few means they had of coping in difficult situations.
If the Government parties were really interested in the dangers of smoking they really wouldn't "sit on their hands while cigarettes are advertised right across the country".
