CLONMEL is in line to become the first town in the country where a team of trained heart medics will be able to reach anyone who suffers a heart attack within four minutes.

Health Minister Micheál Martin has praised the work of non-governmental organisations in helping the introduction of the workplace smoking ban in Ireland.

The Irish Heart Foundation is hoping to get the Government to co-fund a €250,000 survey on the needs of recovering stroke patients.

Warnings that Ireland’s proposed ban on smoking in public places would lead to major job losses were today rejected by the Heart Foundation.