Irish diplomats and officials in Brussels were privately advised to be on guard to rebuff “approaches” made by lobbyists working for the tobacco industry, internal emails show.
In a warning circulated late last year, Irish officials were directed to avoid meeting lobbyists from Big Tobacco to discuss regulations and controls on cigarettes and other nicotine products.
The note was sent to the more than 280 staff working in the Republic’s permanent representation to the European Union.
Cáit Moran, the deputy head of Ireland’s diplomatic mission to the EU, advised colleagues of the Government’s long-standing policy intended to stop the tobacco industry influencing the political system.
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“I want to underline the need for ongoing vigilance in respect of any approaches from tobacco lobbyists, or those acting on their behalf ... including where the connection or entity does not immediately seem obvious,” Moran wrote in an email on November 21st last to all staff.
Ireland is a party to a World Health Organisation (WHO) international agreement on tobacco control, which commits governments to shield health policy from the influence of the industry.
In practice that means officials will, in most cases, refuse to meet representatives of the industry and do not consider their submissions when drafting public health policies.
The big tobacco multinationals, Philip Morris International, Japan Tobacco International and the British American Tobacco group, which includes Irish company PJ Carroll, all have significant lobbying operations in Brussels.
Internal guidelines from the Department of Health were distributed to the State’s corps of diplomats and officials in Brussels, which has tripled in size to nearly 300 staff, as Ireland prepares to take over the rotating Council of the EU presidency in July.
The guidelines told officials and civil servants to “actively reject offers to discuss tobacco control policies with the industry”.
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Any decision to meet lobbyists from tobacco companies could have “unintended consequences or be mischaracterised by the tobacco industry”, the document warned.
“The tobacco industry cannot be treated in the same way as other industries, as its products kill two out of three long-term users and there is a long history of industry interference to influence and undermine tobacco control policy,” it said.
“You should not accept out-of-office meetings, social events or other hospitality from the tobacco industry,” the guidelines stated.
The internal correspondence and guidelines sent to Irish officials were released to The Irish Times following a Freedom of Information Act request.
In her email to officials in Brussels, Moran asked staff to “familiarise” themselves with the “very clear guidance”, which included advice about how to turn down requests from individuals representing tobacco companies for meetings.
A Department of Health spokesman said the Government guidelines applied to officials serving in diplomatic missions overseas.
Irish public affairs consultancy Red Flag, set up by public relations and lobbying executive Karl Brophy, conducts work for British American Tobacco in Brussels, according to declarations made to an EU transparency register by the cigarette and nicotine giant.
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A plan to revise EU-wide regulations covering tobacco and nicotine products, which date back to 2014, is expected to generate significant pushback from the industry, which is concerned the proposals may extend to banning flavourings in e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches.
Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill had hoped to chair negotiations on the proposed changes when Ireland holds the EU presidency, a deal-making role that involves brokering agreements between the union’s member states.
However, the European Commission is not expected to table draft changes to the tobacco regulations until the end of this year, meaning contentious negotiations on the reforms will not kick off until 2027.
