Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2021
194. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the degree to which his Department was involved in the preparation for the COP9 conference on tobacco control; the lessons learned by Ireland and the European Union from COP9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59593/21]
View answerThe 9th Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control took place virtually from 8 to 12 November. Due to the virtual nature of the conference, an abridged agenda was adopted. Unlike previous meetings of the parties, discussion and decision-making on key issues relating to tobacco control could not take place at COP9. Discussion of these issues will take place at COP10 which is scheduled for November 2023.
As with previous COPs, officials from my Department actively participated in discussions at EU level during September and October to develop positions in advance of COP9.
In the context of a meeting where very few decisions were made, one of the key learnings from COP9 was the need to be ever-vigilant in protecting public health policy from interference by the tobacco industry.
