A Leading US tobacco litigation lawyer and his Irish legal partners have met the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, and discussed their proposal for legal action by the Government against the tobacco industry.
Mr Steve Berman, who has represented 14 US states in a suit against the US tobacco industry which eventually led to a settlement of over $200 billion, met the Minister and his officials yesterday morning.
Along with his partners, Dublin solicitors Ward & Fitzpatrick, Mr Berman outlined to the Minister the strategy adopted in the US in the litigation against the tobacco industry.
Ward & Fitzpatrick are lobbying the State to take the case on its behalf. Mr Berman said £18 billion could be received by the Government in the proposed legal action against the tobacco industry to recoup the treatment costs of people harmed by smoking.
Mr Martin has already discussed legal action with the Attorney General, who has referred the issue to independent senior counsel, the Department of Health said.
They will deliver a decision by early autumn, after which the Minister and the Attorney General will give it "detailed deliberation", said a spokesman for the Minister.
The spokesman said yesterday's meeting, which lasted about half an hour, was "useful and interesting".
Mr Berman has said he would "underwrite a significant portion of the cost of this action so that there is minimal risk for the Irish Government".
Dr Fenton Howell, chairman of ASH Ireland, the anti-smoking organisation, said it fully supported the approach suggested by Mr Berman, adding: "We would be very disappointed if there not a positive response [by the Government]."
If the Government does not decide to take the proposed legal action, Dr Howell said, it "would have to have a very good legal reason, one which they would have to vocalise, if they do not go ahead".
He also emphasised that it was taxpayers, not tobacco companies, who are paying the healthcare costs of smoking-related illnesses.