Martin praises NGOs role in smoking ban

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

Minister Martin was speaking as he received an award from the World Health Organisation for introducing a workplace smoking ban.

Minister Martin was presented with the Special Director-General’s Award at a European tobacco conference in Limerick today.

"I think it’s a recognition of the work of all of the non-governmental organisations in Ireland such as the Cancer Society, the Heart Foundation, the Asthma Society, ASH and indeed the Office of Tobacco Control and my own department officials, who’ve all worked very hard on the smoking ban initiative," he said.