Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the statements marking the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the smoking ban. It is appropriate for me as a Labour Party TD to speak about the key role the labour movement played in the introduction of smoke-free workplaces, as well as acknowledging the Tánaiste's leadership on this issue when he was Minister for Health.

The trade union movement was at the heart of the campaign for smoke-free workplaces. It played a crucial role in the delivery of this important public health measure. There were some key individuals in the movement who are worthy of acknowledgement. John Douglas was then assistant general secretary of Mandate. He was a passionate supporter of smoke-free workplaces. His union represented many bar workers throughout the country who were the most exposed to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and resultant early deaths from cancer and heart disease. As a 20-year-old in 2004, my biggest exposure to second-hand smoke was through socialising as opposed to work, and socialising in workplaces that were bars and nightclubs. The difference it made, literally overnight, was substantial. Mandate was a pioneer on this issue and worked to get more allies through the trade union movement.

Another hero worth acknowledging is Dublin City Council bin lorry worker Mark Wynne, who was central in this regard. He saw how some colleagues were badly affected by the smoking of other workmates. He brought a motion to the IMPACT conference calling on that union to support the introduction of smoke-free workplaces and it did, beginning to turn the tide of support in the wider trade union movement.

Another individual central to bringing the movement along was the CEO of the office of tobacco control, the late Tom Power. He was an active member of the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants who, along with Pat Montague and my colleague Deputy Nash, met many union leaders and encouraged them and explained how the tobacco industry operates in terms of recruiting the next generation of smokers through marketing its products to children and young people and dumping cheap products in the developing world, and how it funds and uses front organisations to protect its interests. Through this process of briefing key leaders and influencers, by October 2003 the entire trade union movement had swung behind the move for a legislative solution to a smoke-free workplace and were out actively campaigning. It acted as a crucial counterweight to the lobbying efforts of some in the hospitality sector and the fronts for big tobacco, many of whom were being lent a willing ear by some in Cabinet at the time and by other TDs on the Government and Opposition benches.

As we mark this day it is right that we celebrate what it did. It removed second-hand smoke from the workplace. This was a pro-public health and a pro-worker policy and it has had a lasting impact. I spoke to a woman today who is a smoker. When I told her I was speaking on this today she said it was the best thing that the Tánaiste ever did. Whether or not he believes this, it certainly will be a defining policy and legacy achievement of his political career. It is one that marked Ireland out in a positive way as a pioneer and leader in this area.

We now have a new frontier in this. We still have targets to meet in terms of reducing tobacco use and smoking. We are well behind the targets that were set by the Minister for Health ten years ago in terms of becoming tobacco free. We need to redouble our efforts. We need to reduce the level of vaping. We need to constantly improve our data in terms of the negative health impacts that vaping has. We cannot lose sight of the fact that we still have work to do in terms of the levels of smoking in this country.

The smoking ban was a big step forward. It was a transformative moment in terms of our attitudes to smoking and public health policy, but it has not delivered the reduced levels of smoking that we want to see. There is more to do. There is a great deal more to do in respect of vaping. In the context of what we are speaking about today, it is worth acknowledging what a legacy achievement this is and what a proud achievement it was for our country. That is worth the debate today.

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