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A local businessman has questioned what, if any, action the Government will take to offset the loss of income to retailers from the new legislation.

Last week Ireland became the first country in the EU, and only the second globally – after Australia – to introduce plain packaging cigarettes. Now one local businessman has questioned what, if any, action the Government will take to offset the loss of income to retailers from the new legislation.

Michael Hanley, proprietor of Hanley’s Newsagent in Pearse Square, Fermoy, believes the new laws will result in a loss of income and called on the Government to act.

“I was totally in favour of the cigarette ban, but I am a retailer and I’m also a realist. We have done sufficient in terms of trying to hide our products and it was made difficult for us to sell them.

“But the reality is they do form a significant portion of the annual turnover of a lot of businesses in small towns,” Mr Hanley told The Avondhu.

“Will the Government now - seeing as they are continuing to interfere in small towns who are trying to survive – will they now instruct the local authorities to cut their rates as well to support the loss of income that is State driven?”

The Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill completed its passage through Oireachtas after passing through the Seanad on Tuesday, March 3. It has since been signed into law by President Michael D Higgins.

Speaking on when the plain package cigarettes will be in shops, James Reilly, the current Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, said: “The (EU) Tobacco Directive is quite clear, it won’t become operable until May 2016 and we’re going to allow a wash out period for the products that are already in place. So, it’s more likely to be May 2017.”

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