Smoking ban ‘gets boost from Cullen comments’

MINISTER for Health Micheál Martin said last night that his Cabinet colleague Martin Cullen’s public objections to the smoking ban galvanised support for the proposal.

Rejecting the Minister for the Environment’s argument that the ban was importing American political correctness, Mr Martin also said smoking clampdowns were in place in many other countries.

In his first public reaction to the controversy, Mr Martin told the Irish Examiner that, after Mr Cullen’s remarks, his office was inundated with phone calls and letters from people supporting the ban.

“Genuinely I think the response galvanised support for it [the ban]. I think the reaction to it [Mr Cullen’s comments] was strong from people. It did provide a catalyst to the debate. Obviously, I know where Martin stood, so I wasn’t surprised,” he said.

Also saying that he was very happy with the Taoiseach’s backing of the proposal this week, Mr Martin said Mr Ahern has been a strong advocate of the ban for the past year. “I was very happy with what the Taoiseach stated. He has been very supportive on this issue. He is not taken by the Armageddon predictions.”

Returning from his holidays, Mr Martin confirmed that he would be bringing the entire smoking ban package of implementation measures to the Cabinet in October.

Backing up statements from the Taoiseach’s officials that there was no ambiguity in Mr Ahern’s comments on the matter, Mr Martin said there were still issues to be resolved about the exact implementation date at the start of January, as well as the questions about smoking in prisons and psychiatric hospitals. “We’ll enter into discussions on that. There are exceptional circumstances. I would accept there are issues there.”

In his first public reaction to Mr Cullen’s criticism, Mr Martin dismissed his argument that Ireland should be closer to Europe in its policies and said bans had been introduced in Australia and South Africa.

Rejecting as “nonsense” the argument that it’s an example of the ‘Nanny State’ impinging on people’s rights, Mr Martin said reputable health organisations worldwide say passive smoke is a carcinogen.

“I would ask the simple question: Faced with that evidence, what is the Minister for Health supposed to do? That is my position on it. I can see how others might not see it as I do,” he said.