It isn’t very often the tobacco industry comes out to play on the publicity pitch. But the award for press release of the week must go to Imperial Tobacco, which manufactures brands including John Player Blue, the scourge of Dubliners’ lungs for generations.

On budget day on Tuesday, Imperial's corporate affairs director in Ireland released a statement saying it was "taken aback" by the 40 cent increase on a packet of cigarettes announced by Michael Noonan.

Criticising the Government for fuelling a “criminal industry”, it finished with a flourish with a reference to black market smokes: “Smugglers will certainly party tonight. This is a great day for ‘South Armagh Duty Free’.”

Imperial, indeed. They may not like that comment at the greenest fringes of the British Empire.