Delayed or derailed? Ireland's plain packaging bill parked on siding

Currently in Dublin.

Arrived yesterday morning and spent the afternoon watching TDs discuss the Public Health (Standard Packaging of Tobacco) Bill as it went through its second stage in the Dáil having already been passed by the Seanad.

There wasn't much of a debate. TDs who wanted to speak were allotted a time. As far as I could tell they came, said their piece to a largely empty chamber, and left.

As the session was coming to an end Minister for Health James Reilly turned up to make what I thought would be a concluding speech before leaving the chamber in a blaze of glory.

Instead, and somewhat bizarrely, the long-winded efforts of earlier speakers resulted in the 'debate' being adjourned.

Insiders tell me it will be September, at the earliest, before stage two is completed. By that time Reilly will be long gone as everyone expects him to be sacked in a Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday.

Given the Fat One's determination to force plain packaging on Ireland as quickly as possible I was surprised at the lack of urgency among the bill's supporters.

Although he supported it one TD spoke so slowly and inconsequentially it sounded like he was trying to filibuster the bill.

From a smoker's perspective the best speech was made by Independent TD Finian McGrath. As I was listening I tweeted a couple of his comments:

Plain packaging: "Important to challenge the cosy consensus that exists on this matter," says @Finianmcgrathtd

Plain packaging: @Finianmcgrathtd calls for "honest presentation of facts"

Finian has agreed to send Forest Eireann a copy of his speech and when he does we'll post it on our website.

You don't have to wait to read it in full however because you can also read a transcript here (scroll down).

His comments were also noted by today's Irish Times in this report, Smokers ‘hammered’ with punitive legislation, TD claims.

What will happen when James Reilly is removed from his post remains to be seen. The new incumbent might want the legislation introduced as soon as possible; then again, he (or she) might not.

As a poll for Forest Eireann demonstrated last year, very few people believe plain packs will stop children smoking, and plain packaging ranked last of four issues people thought the Minister for Health should prioritise in 2014.

Meanwhile it was tweeted from New Zealand on Tuesday that:

Health Committee just voted 6-4 in favour of delaying the Plain Packaging Bill.

If I was an anti-tobacco campaigner bent on world domination (or standardised packaging) I'd be a little concerned. Wouldn't you?