Martin defends handling of smoking ban

The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, has rejected Opposition allegations of ineptitude on the introduction of the ban on smoking in the workplace, the date for which has still not been set.

Mr Martin said that criticism "doesn't worry me. I keep my eye on the big picture." He told the Dáil that it would be "wise to wait" to set a date until after February 4th, when the European Transparency Directive "standstill" period of three months ends.

The Minister notified Brussels on November 4th of the exemptions to the ban, including psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and outdoor workplaces, and three months must elapse before action is taken.

Labour's health spokeswoman, Ms Liz McManus, accused the Minister of creating a "political and administrative muddle that has now reached the level of farce" in his plans to prevent smoking in the workplace, including pubs and restaurants.

He was "remarkably inept" at trying to achieve a goal for which he had support from the Opposition and more than 60 per cent of the population, she said.

"He has failed abysmally to deliver the ban that he promised to deliver on," and the fact that he had to amend the draft regulations twice was a sign of the "muddle and bungling".

But Mr Martin said he was not concerned with the criticism but with the "big picture", the introduction of a measure which "will be a very significant milestone in terms of the protection of public health and which people want to see implemented".

He said there had been a "very significant debate over the past 12 months, which has resulted in a very significant consensus being built up among the public".

During the Dáil debate on the regulations the Opposition "implored" him for exemptions, such as in psychiatric and nursing homes, he said.

These exemptions were reported to the EU because of the European Transparency Directive.

An argument could be made against reporting the exemptions, but they did so "to be safe", said the Minister.

But Ms McManus said he had not addressed the issue of who would monitor workplaces other than those where food and drink were served.

She claimed Mr Martin was "introducing a ban without the means and staff to implement it in a large number of working environments that don't include pubs and restaurants and hotels".

However, the Minister said the Office of Tobacco Control has "cross-authorisation" powers.