Smoking         bbermingham@corkcity.ie    www.bbermingham.com

In a press release issued on 30 January 2003, Mr. Micheál Martin TD, Minister for Health, has proposed a prohibition on smoking tobacco products in places of work. Following a consultation period, he intends to introduce the necessary regulations on January 1st 2004.
 

Motion to Council on Workplace Clean air

“That this Council gives wholehearted support to the introduction of clean air in the workplace from January 2004”

 Irish Society is now engaged in a debate between those who wish to work in a natural smoke free environment with all its imperfections of environmental and work related pollution and those who over the decades, polluted and now seek to further pollute the workplace without consideration, heath wise to themselves and their fellow work colleagues.

It is very strange indeed that Irish Society is so engaged in this debate?

Why is there an attempt to frustrate the provision to workers of an environment that is natural, as clean as possible, and not artificially smoke filled?

What the Minister is attempting to accomplish next January 2004 is not an extraordinary move at all, in fact I would condemn in the strongest way, previous Ministers for so called Health, Unions and Employers who did not provide a healthy work environment for all workers over the years. 

Whilst customers had a choice to visit or not to visit an establishment, workers had no real choice at all in breathing in second hand ejected smoke of customers who literally blew it directly into their faces from the bar counter.

A sign of extraordinary tolerance in the Irish worker, or a gross lack of confidence in approaching his/her employer for fear of his/her job?

In terms of the actual debate

Those who wish to insist on Smokey air in the workplace to-day, failed over the years to provide a non-smoking zone in their establishments. Why?

Against the pending legislation they cry out loudly now….but an intelligent snowman knew / knows that this day is coming yet some so-called hospitality employers failed due to lack of vision and consideration to take evasive action.

To-day such employers say they will provide for Smoke rooms and ventilation systems.

The Irish heart foundation, Irish cancer society and ash Ireland conclude that whilst ventilation removes 90% of passive smoking the remainder is between 1500 and 2500 times above acceptable risk level.

–-How many establishments to-day have high grade ventilation systems? ---and smoke rooms? I guess few in number? So why did it take society as represented by the Minister to act before these employers – [with notable exceptions] began to think of their employee and customers well being?

Irish Society have spent billons on a health service that fails to satisfy their heath needs – due in part to those who find themselves in hospitals and with GP’s etc directly due to tobacco, self inflicted and acquired passively in unsuspecting places.

The Health Service provides positive treatment to assist people off tobacco.
Clean air in the workplace is another attempt to further reduce smoking in Ireland –

a Policy that any Minister for Health, is by the nature of his/her responsibilities is obliged to implement.

The Hospitality Lobby is loud on the issue of Jobs

Ø      The cine industry is much more buoyant to-day with clean air then a decade of so ago with smokey air.

Ø      Airlines have experienced a massive up take on their flights with clean air.

Ø      According to pro-health groups there is a wealth of well conducted research showing that smoking bans did not impact negatively. On the contrary a Cornell university journal in the US shows smoke free regulations introduced in restaurants from 1995 have been associated with a significant increase in sales.

Ø      Mandate and Siptu says the ban on smoking in the workplace will save lives not cost jobs. 

The Hospitality Lobby is loud on the Civil Rights issue

Ø      They make a big play on the rights of smokers, yet by their non-action and over abundance of talk have totally ignored the estimated 73% of Irish People who do not smoke.

Ø      This majority, growing over 20 years with an increasing public awareness of the direct harmful effects of passive smoking – that it kills ----
together with today’s public insistence of much higher environmental standards, now combine to insist that henceforth the Civil Right that is to be insisted on is that the workplace is a healthy and safe environment in all respects.

I call on the Hospitality Industry to cut out the smoke screen and be pro-active, hospitable helpful and health-wise to their employees and customers in creating a positive clean air, healthy successful and profitable working environment.

I congratulate and support Minister for Health and Children, Mr. Michael Martin in his efforts in this regard to promote the Health of the People of Ireland.

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