asked the Minister for Health the total cost of cigarette smoking in terms of (a) the total number of work days lost; (b) the cost of medicinal preparations in respect of associated illnesses treated; (c) sickness benefits during illness or invalidity; and (d) damage by fire, if available.

8.

asked the Minister for Health if he intends to institute an inquiry into the total cost to the State in social cost of consequent illness, disability and death due to cigarette smoking in this country.

9.

asked the Minister for Health if he intends to institute an inquiry into the total cost to the State in social cost of consequent illness, disability and death due to alcoholism in this country.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions 7 to 9, inclusive, together.

The information requested by the Deputy is not available at present but a study is being carried out by my Department which will attempt to measure the effects which smoking has on the health and well-being of the community and the costs which are incurred on seeking to remedy its ill-effects.

The feasibility of conducting a similar study into the ill-effects of alcoholism is under consideration at present.

The Minister said that the study will be undertaken by his Department. Is this the first study that has been undertaken by his Department? There is no record of the Department having undertaken any such study before. Is this the first?

Yes.

Could I ask the Minister why he took the questions about smoking; and about alcohol together?

Why could I not get answers separately to these questions? They are important separate issues.

I apologise to the Deputy if he feels that there is any confusion but these two matters are in the preventive medicine area and are nearly always associated together, but I have given two separate answers. In the case of cigarettes and tobacco, a study is on the way. In the case of alcohol we are only examining the feasibility of conducting a survey.

Is it not a fact that this is another evasive decision on the part of the Minister for Health? He knows well that in relation to tobacco smoking and in relation to alcoholism the first and most important thing he ought to do is to stop advertising them. He is in a position to do so at present and he knows well that he should. Would he not agree that he must stop advertising in relation to both these things both in newspapers and on television to the extent that it is happening? It is evading the issue again.

Neither of these two questions deals with the matter of advertising at all, so to that extent——

He is establishing a study.

——it is not I who am being evasive. On the question of advertising I have met the commercial interests involved and made very specific proposals to them about the restraint of advertising, and I intend to bring this matter to a conclusion in the very immediate future.

Could he give any indication as to when is the immediate future? Is it a week, a month, six months, a year?

I certainly hope to have a decision within a matter of weeks.

Arising out of the Minister's reply and a recent television interview which he gave in relation to alcoholism, does he distinguish between the effects of spirits and beers?

If so what action does he propose to take in the matter?

I do distinguish between spirits and beer. With regard to that interview which I gave on television at the end of a programme on the drink industry, what I said on that occasion was severely edited by the RTE Authority, unfortunately.

I endeavoured to give what I thought was a balanced view of the problem of excessive drinking and alcoholism, which are two separate things. Unfortunately a lot of what I said on one side was edited out of my interview.

Can I take it that the Minister's Department agree that spirits are a much bigger contribution to alcoholism than beers are?

This is a difficult technical medical question.

Is the Minister speaking as Minister or as an expert?

I am giving advice as Minister. In this whole area, whether it be beer or spirits, moderation is the answer and proper control of one's habits.

Will nothing be done in relation to the drinking problems until this inquiry has been completed, and how long will the inquiry take?

The Deputy seems to have perverted views on certain things. He must be aware that I have taken considerable action in this matter.

Did the Minister see the full page advertisement in today's Irish Independent and does he think he can control the advertising people by a simple talk?