Vol. 572 No. 2
79 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children when the final regulations in respect of the ban on smoking in the workplace from 1 January 2004 will be published; if it is anticipated that the final regulations will differ from the draft regulations already published; if he plans exemptions or exclusions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22533/03]
The draft regulations to give effect to the proposed ban on smoking in all workplaces have been published and are available on my Department's website. It is not anticipated that there will be any changes to this draft.
The proposed ban arises in the context of the publication last January of the joint Office of Tobacco Control/Health and Safety Authority report on the health effects of environmental tobacco smoke in the workplace.
My primary concern in introducing a ban on the smoking of tobacco in all workplaces is to protect workers and the public from exposure to toxic environmental tobacco smoke which is an avoidable cause of disease and ill health.
