Government departments and State agencies have, since 2013, paid out close to €4 million in consultancy fees to companies who have also represented the interests of Big Tobacco.
Figures from seven government departments show that in the last two years alone, payments of as much as €1.7 million have been made to firms who also provide, or have provided, legal and consultancy services to major tobacco companies.
The issue has come into sharp focus after Children’s Minister James Reilly effectively called for a government-wide boycott of lawyers and consultants who represent tobacco firms.
On RTÉ Radio’s This Week programme just over a week ago, Reilly was asked: “Would you like to see people who have represented tobacco in the past, or currently represent tobacco interests, not to be used by your colleagues in government?
He replied:
"Personally – absolutely. I don’t believe people can be representing the tobacco industry and be representing, certainly me – and I’d much prefer if the rest of government wouldn’t have any truck with them either."
An analysis by TheJournal.ie, however, shows that at least four such companies have been paid a total of €3,939,757 for consultancy work since the beginning of 2013, when plans for plain packaging were first launched.
Source: Dan MacGuill, thejournal.ie, 03/03/15