Cigarette, fuel and alcohol increases given the go-ahead

The Government last night won a number of Dβil votes on motions to increase duty on cigarettes, motor fuel and alcohol.

During the earlier debate, Mr Alan Dukes, the Fine Gael spokesman on Agriculture and Marine, said the 10 pence increase in the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes showed a lack of commitment by the Government in its proposals for dealing with legislation on tobacco.

Mr Dukes also said that motorists who had to use their cars because of a lack of public transport should not be saddled with increased fuel costs. He added that it would take a "great stretch of imagination" to say the petrol tax was an environmental measure.

He was speaking as the Dβil debated financial resolutions from the budget on tax increases in fuel, cigarettes and cider. Labour leader, Mr Ruair∅ Quinn, claimed the increase in excise duty on cider was aimed at the people of Tipperary, which produces cider, because they had not voted for Fianna Fβil. He said the cigarette price increase was not sufficient to have any impact on smokers.

Mr Michael D'Arcy (FG, Wexford) said the increased tax on petrol would result in a price increase of 27 pence a gallon for motorists who had to use their cars because they had no public transport.

The Sinn FΘin TD, Mr Caoimhghin ╙ Caolain for Cavan-Monaghan, opposed the increases on petrol and diesel because they would "badly hit those totally dependent on the private car and road freight for goods transport, particularly in the region I represent where public transport is virtually non-existent" .

Mr Brendan Smith, a Fianna Fβil backbencher for the same constituency, called for a maximum prices order to be introduced for fuel. He said a 33 per cent drop in the international price of oil had not been passed on to motorists and prices varied considerably with particular impact on motorists "from south Ulster to the north Midlands".

Socialist TD for Dublin West, Mr Joe Higgins, opposed the increases in cigarette, petrol and diesel excise. "They are not being brought in for health and environmental reasons but simply to grab more from the ordinary working people of this country." He called on the Minister for Health to "help people with their addictions. Don't penalise them" .