Smokers to take hit again

INCREASES on a packet of cigarettes and a sugar tax are probably on the way in the Budget next month, the Taoiseach indicated yesterday.

‘I can’t obviously go into specifics, but it would be typical enough for there to be an increase in cigarettes. That’s one of the things under consideration,’ Mr Varadkar said.

A commitment made in last year’s Budget to introduce a sugar tax would be honoured, Mr Varadkar added. ‘I’m a longtime supporter of the sugar tax and I want to see that introduced next year, but I’m not in a position to get into details.’

He said it was always the case that the level of demands for extra spending are greater than can ever be accommodated in any one budget.

‘There’ll be no cuts in any department spending this year. Every department will have an increase in spending, it’s just a case of how much we can accommodate,’ he said.