Officers get tough on smoking ban

THE smoking ban will be rigorously policed from next Monday, environmental health officers warned yesterday.

Deputy chairperson of the Environmental Health Officers Association, Ann Marie Part, said they would be enforcing the smoking ban from “day one”.

There would be compliance spot checks and officers would prioritise any complaints made directly to the health boards or on the ‘compliance line’ set up by the Office of Tobacco Control.

Initially, officers would be making advisory and compliance visits to workplaces, particularly those in the hospitality sector because they were uneasy about the ban and expressed the need for support.

“But if somebody blatantly or openly flouts the law the full rigours of the law will be faced by them immediately,” she warned at a press conference given by Health Minister, Micheál Martin, in Government Buildings, Dublin.

Ms Part also warned that if somebody obstructed an authorised officer in the course of their duty, they would be subjected to the full rigours of the law. Obstruction of an officer was an offence in itself, regardless of the smoking ban.

There are 41 designated tobacco officers throughout each of the 10 health board areas, who can call on the support of 300 authorised environmental health officers, if necessary. In addition, there are around 100 health and safety officers who can also play a role in enforcing the ban.

“We have a population of four million and 75% of those are non-smokers. Recent studies have shown that 60% of smokers want the smoking ban introduced. People power will have a huge role to play in the actual enforcement of the legislation,” Ms Part said.

Ms Part said officers would continue to work their regular hours, which includes weekends and evenings when necessary, where premises were closed during the day.

“For us it is an extension of the type of work we are doing already,” she added.

Mr Martin also warned Michael Healy Rae, of Jackie Healy Rae’s pub in Kilgarvan in Co Kerry, who has been an outspoken opponent of the ban, that he would be subject to the law just like everyone else.

“The law is the law,” he warned.

Publicans were license holders who had a responsibility to uphold the law, said Mr Martin and it was open to people to object to a licence renewal when it going through the courts system.

He said the response to the smoking ban to date had been very positive and acknowledged that the bodies representing the licensed trade had adopted a co-operative and responsible position.

Some 200,000 workplaces are covered by the legislation and Mr Martin said it was strong enough to withstand any possible legal challenge and was confident that people would adjust to it.