Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Ed McMahon stated that God invented whiskey to keep the Irish from ruling the world. However, today we have many vices other than the demon drink, including prescription drug addiction, illegal drug addiction, gambling addiction and smoking addiction. Nearly every family in Ireland is affected by some form of addiction. It causes serious problems within families which can be devastating. It can lead to ill health, secrecy and betrayal. It can lead to serious financial strain, depression, mental health issues, violence, prison, marriage break-up and even homelessness.

I note that the emphasis of the motion is not on smoking. However, for me smoking addiction is the most serious health issue we are facing. One in two smokers dies from smoking. It is the biggest cause of preventative death, bigger than the next six combined. Fifteen people die from smoking every day. It is the equivalent of two jumbo jets full of promising Irish people crashing every year.

The Office of Tobacco Control states that 24% of Irish people smoke. However, the Irish Heart Foundation states that in the lower socioeconomic group the figure is approximately 50%. It breaks my heart to see young people smoking - young people who will become addicted to tobacco. Irish Heart Foundation studies indicate that 12% of school-aged children are current smokers. Smoking is a phenomenon when children start under the age of 18. Also alarming is 2001 research indicating that 21% of women in Ireland smoke during pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy is often done - believe it are not - to prevent weight gain. This is a scary phenomenon: mothers are putting their babies in jeopardy. Our striving for image perfection has serious consequences.

I commend the Minister, Deputy Reilly, and Senator Crown who introduced recommendations to penalise smoking in cars with children on board. Secondary smoke has harmful effects. It is reported that in children second-hand smoke causes the following: ear infections; frequent and severe asthma attacks; respiratory problems, for example coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath; and respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia not to mention the long-term effects. County councils are also introducing smoke-free regulations for parents minding children in playgrounds, which is a welcome development.

Children should not associate play time with smoking. Step by step, we must denormalise smoking. I was particularly disappointed to hear of a well known Irish band singing at a tobacco industry-sponsored event in Malaysia. These people are role models for young people. They have the power to dictate what is cool and are seriously influential. As such, they have a responsibility to their fans to lead the way.

I commend the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, on the introduction in 2013 of graphic warnings on cigarette packages. The Minister, Deputy Reilly, has often stated that were cigarettes invented today they would be illegal. We need to take a departmental approach to tackling this issue. Only through the Departments of Health, Finance and Justice and Equality working together will we fully tackle this issue.

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