Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 3

Written Answers. - Smoking Regulations.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

483 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to ban smoking in public houses; the discussions he has had with the licensed trade with regard to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19752/02]

Charlie O'Connor

Ceist:

538 Mr. O'Connor asked the Minister for Health and Children his plans to ensure the development of no smoking zones in licensed premises; his views on such initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20179/02]

Ciarán Cuffe

Ceist:

573 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Health and Children if there will be a ban on smoking in public houses and intercity trains; and if so, the timeframe for when it will take place. [20635/02]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 483, 538 and 573 together.

Section 47 of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act, 2002, empowers the Minister for Health and Children to prohibit or restrict the smoking of tobacco products in many public places, including licensed premises and train services.

With regard to licensed premises, current regulations only ban smoking in food preparation areas. A small number of pubs have introduced dedicated non-smoking areas on a voluntary basis. While this is welcome, I have made it clear to representatives of the licensed trade when meeting them that much more needs to be done to afford the necessary level of protection from environmental tobacco smoke. It is reasonable to extend environmental controls on smoking to include pubs to ensure protection for the public and for staff from the harmful effects of environmental tobacco smoke. Draft regulations are being prepared in my Department, which will include environmental controls on smoking in pubs. When these are completed further consultations will take place with the licensed trade.

With regard to smoking on train services, smoking is currently prohibited on the DART service and on all Arrow trains operated by Iarnród Éireann. On all other train services operated solely by Iarnród Éireann smoking is prohibited in at least two-thirds of the seating area. The Enterprise train service between Dublin and Belfast, which is operated jointly by Iarnród Éireann and Northern Ireland Railways, is completely non-smoking. Extending environmental controls on smoking to all train services is under consideration.

It is my intention to introduce the necessary regulations as soon as possible, but at this stage I cannot give an exact date.

Barr
Roinn