Vol. 571 No. 3
235 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Health and Children if it will be more cost effective to fund a major anti-smoking communications campaign, aimed in particular at children and teenagers, from the savings arising from fewer tobacco inspectors and HSA inspectors having to be recruited, in the context of reaching a compromise solution to the blanket ban on smoking; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21696/03]
It would not be more cost effective to divert savings from the proposed non-enforcement of effective measures designed to ensure the safety and health of workers to a communications campaign as is suggested by the Deputy.
In any event, such campaigns are an ongoing feature of the anti-tobacco campaign and will continue in tandem with other measures, including the proposed ban of smoking in the workplace and its associated enforcement. Other recent measures taken in the area of tobacco control include: the age limit for sale of cigarettes to persons has been raised from 16 to 18 years; advertising of tobacco products in newspapers and magazines has been ended; sponsorship of events by the tobacco industry has been ended; nicotine replacement therapy was made available to all medical card holders who smoke; the national "Break the Habit Campaign" was developed on a partnership basis between the Department of Health and Children, the Irish Cancer Society and the health boards; additional smoking cessation officers have been recruited by health boards; sustained media advertising campaigns directed at preventing young people, in particular young women, from taking up smoking; and new larger health warnings on packets of cigarettes – 30% on front of packet & 40% on back of packet.
