Vol. 572 No. 3
379 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Health and Children the plans in place to ensure that the forthcoming smoking ban is rigorously enforced; if there are sufficient environmental health officers to police the ban; if the Garda Síochána has been briefed regarding potential intervention in cases where the ban is ignored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23230/03]
The owner, occupier or person in charge of a workplace is legally responsible for ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements. As part of the process of monitoring compliance with health and safety requirements, including the prohibition on smoking in the workplace, authorised officers from the health boards, the Office of Tobacco Control and the Health and Safety Authority will visit premises as part of their enforcement duties. I expect that the vast majority of employers, employees and the public will comply with the new health and safety measure which is being introduced primarily to protect people from exposure to toxic environmental tobacco smoke. Decisions on additional staff required to enforce and administer the proposed environmental tobacco smoke regulations will be finalised in the context my Department's Vote for 2004. A decision to call the Garda to a premises for whatever reason is a matter for the person in charge.
