The Health Department has denied suggestions that smoking will be banned in public parks and beaches.
The Irish Independent reported on Friday that the government was considering the move as part of its bid to make Ireland tobacco-free.
The annual report on a tobacco-free Ireland for 2021 was published earlier this week.
A recommendation in the report states that the government should “promote tobacco-free environments and in particular parks and beaches in conjunction with the local authorities by voluntary measures or by the introduction of bye-laws,” reports Mirror.
However, this recommendation comes from the first version of the report released in 2014.
The updates for 2021 do not refer to the ban on smoking in parks or beaches.
However, the report notes that local authorities in Wexford, Galway and Meath launched their campaigns to promote smoke-free campuses in parks and parks last year.
Government sources denied on Friday that smoking is prohibited in parks and playgrounds.
Well-placed sources told The Mirror that although it was mentioned in the Tobacco-Free Ireland report, it has been a consistent recommendation since the plans were drawn up.
The Ministry of Health also rejected the proposal.
“There are no current plans to legislate for smoke-free outdoor areas,” a spokesman said, reports Mirror.
According to Mirror, he added: “Tobacco Free Ireland, our national tobacco control policy, which was approved by Government in 2013, contains recommendations to further develop the tobacco-free playgrounds initiative in conjunction with the local authorities by way of voluntary measures or by the introduction of bye-laws. Promote tobacco-free environments and in particular parks and beaches in conjunction with the local authorities by voluntary measures or by the introduction of bye-laws. Voluntary local actions are successful. As set out in the 2021 Tobacco Free Ireland Annual Report, the “Not Around Us” Campaign, made up of local groups implementing smoke free spaces in their own areas, has continued to grow.”
The spokesperson added that current tobacco control legislation is being developed under the Public Health (Tobacco and Inhaled Nicotine Products) Law.
This will introduce an annual licensing system for the retail sale of tobacco products and nicotine inhalation products such as e-cigarettes.
It will also ban the sale of inhalant nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes, to children under the age of 18. The government is also moving to ban the sale of disposable vaporizers.
Before the idea of banning parks and beaches was rejected by the Department of Health, the idea was welcomed by the Irish Heart Foundation.
Defense chief Mark Murphy described it as a “first step” toward a tobacco-free future.
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