Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. As she is aware, the Minister for Health and our Department have been public in our aims and objectives regarding smoking in Ireland. Last month, he launched Tobacco Free Ireland, which sets an ambitious target of Ireland being tobacco free by 2025. In public health terms, this means having fewer than 5% of people smoking by the year 2025.

Approximately 5,200 Irish people die every year from smoking related diseases. One in every two smokers will die of a tobacco related disease. These diseases are frequently protracted and unpleasant, not to mention distressing to the persons suffering and their families and friends, and all made even more upsetting by the fact that they are preventable. Unfortunately, 22% of our adult population are smokers. It is estimated that between 18% and 21% of Irish women smoke in pregnancy. Most smokers start smoking very young. Research shows that 78% of smokers started smoking before the age of 18 years. It also shows that Irish people start smoking younger than those in any other EU country.

Tobacco Free Ireland sets out the tasks that need to be undertaken to help people to stop smoking and to prevent our children from starting the habit. Currently, smoking cessation services are available nationwide, including the national smokers quitline. Tobacco Free Ireland has a recommendation that the State should target its smoking prevention and cessation interventions at specific groups. Pregnant and post partum women comprise one of those groups. This is important. Research has shown that age and socioeconomic factors are key determinants of smoking in pregnancy. Given this, it is equally important that children and young women are targeted with prevention interventions, particularly those in lower socioeconomic groups.

Tobacco Free Ireland contains a number of measures that, when combined, will go a long way towards denormalising smoking in our society. The denormalisation of smoking and the protection of children are the two key themes in the report. As the Deputy referenced in her contribution, pregnant women who smoke are specifically mentioned in Tobacco Free Ireland as a group requiring targeted interventions. It is the combination of all of the measures in the report that will bring about a significant reduction in the numbers of women who smoke generally and also those who smoke during pregnancy.

Tobacco control measures are working. The number of children and adults smoking is declining. It is the Minister's aim to make a significant further reduction in those. One of the measures that will assist in this is the introduction of standardised packaging for tobacco. Research indicates that standardised packaging can reduce the appeal of tobacco products and increase the effectiveness of health warnings. It also reduces the ability of branded tobacco packaging to mislead people about the harmful effects of smoking. Another measure being undertaken is the development of legislation to prohibit smoking in cars where children are present.

The Irish public has already shown a healthy appetite for and commitment to the introduction of tobacco measures, not least by fully embracing the workplace smoking ban, which was introduced some years ago. This is despite numerous pessimistic predictions and spurious arguments as to how and why people would not comply. This positive approach gives me confidence that the public will engage and support the Government and the HSE in the important journey ahead.

We all know that smoking in pregnancy is associated with significant health risks to the baby as well as low birth weights and premature births. There is an obligation on all of us as policy-makers, health workers and members of society to take the steps necessary to assist those who smoke during pregnancy in stopping and to prevent future mothers from starting.

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