Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

To follow on from what other speakers have said, as temporary inhabitants of the House we could do nothing without consulting staff who have worked here for decades. In 2002, when I first came to Leinster House, we could smoke in the office. At the time I smoked. It is ridiculous to recall the cloud of fog in which we used to work in the office and in the ante-rooms off the Seanad and the Dáil.

At the time the smoking ban was introduced, I opposed it through the back channels. How wrong I was. There is no question but that I would not have succeeded in giving up cigarettes if it were not for the ban. However, Leinster House is a place of work and some of those who work here smoke. As other speakers have said, it is not against the law as yet. As you pointed out, Chairman, it is a matter for the Joint Administration Committee and probably ultimately the Oireachtas Commission to decide whether a smoking ban is introduced. Based on what I have heard from fellow committee members, the best we can do today is to express the aspiration that a ban may be achievable, but in consultation with staff. It is important that a good message be sent. Such a view could go to the Joint Administration Committee and it could make arrangements.

I do not disagree with anything Senator Crown has said. He is absolutely correct. We all wish to work towards his goal, but there are a number of different ways to achieve it. The Aviva stadium is a smoke-free zone, yet at concerts and matches there is a single smoking area. Perhaps that is step one. I am not so sure about hiding the smoking area. I agree with Deputy Dowds: it brings me back to my school days when we were smoking in toilets. I support the other proposal made by Senator Crown that the committee should sponsor a campaign to assist all staff who currently smoke to give up cigarettes, although it should not ban them from smoking, and perhaps express the strong aspiration today that we will ultimately achieve smoke-free status for this Parliament in consultation with the permanent staff. We temporary people will be here only for a short period no matter how lucky or focused we are.