Tobacco Control Unit
The Tobacco Control Unit is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate legal framework, policies and relevant structures are in place to facilitate tobacco control measures to protect the health and safety of the public; including contributing to policy at EU and international level.
Responsibilities
- Maintaining appropriate arrangements and structures for the implementation of tobacco control policy and legislation.
- Drafting legislation to implement EU Directives /Decisions on tobacco
- Monitoring enforcement of legislation
- Working with the HSE to build compliance
- Participation in EU Committees on advertising & tobacco products.
- Participation in World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC)
Staff
| Principal Officer | John Keegan |
|---|---|
| Assistant Principal Officers | Noreen Leahy |
| Chief Environmental Officer | Siobhan McEvoy |
Contact
- Telephone: 01 - 635 4000
- Fax: 01 - 635 4552
- E-mail:tobacco@health.gov.ie
Office of Tobacco Control:
In November 1999, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children published "A National Anti-Smoking Strategy - A Report on Health and Smoking"which recommended that a national anti-tobacco strategy be adopted in Ireland.
In response the Tobacco Free Policy Review Group was set up to carry out a fundamental review of health and tobacco and make recommendations to the Minister for Health and Children. Their report, Towards a Tobacco Free Society, (published in 2000) which was adopted as Government policy, proposes an integrated strategy for tackling the tobacco problem and promoting a tobacco free society.
Arising from this, the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) was established to implement and manage the Government’s tobacco control policy as outlined in the report. The primary function of the Office was to advise the Minister for Health and Children and to assist in the implementation of Government policies and objectives on the control and regulation of tobacco products generally.
In Budget 2009, the Minister for Finance announced an initial programme of rationalisation of State agencies, involving 30 separate rationalisation proposals. At that time it was proposed that the Food Safety of Ireland (FSAI), the Irish Medicines Board (IMB) and the Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) would be merged to form a Public Health and Medicines Safety Authority.
Following further consideration of the proposal, the Government decided that both the FSAI and the IMB would be retained as stand-alone agencies. It was also that the OTC would be merged into the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Subsequently the Public Health Tobacco (Amendment) Act 2010 was enacted which provided for the dissolution of the OTC and the transfer of its staff and functions to the HSE with effect from 1 January 2011
Publications:
Towards a Tobacco Free Society – Report of the Tobacco Free Policy Group (2000)
Guidance for those selling tobacco products(May 2009)
Legislation:
Acts:
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 27 of 1978 | Tobacco Products (Control of Advertising, Sponsorship and Sales Promotion) Act, 1978 |
| 24 of 1988 | Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Act, 1988 |
| 14 of 2001 | Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2001 |
| 6 of 2002 | Public Health (Tobacco) Act, 2002 |
| 6 of 2004 | Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004 |
| 23 of 2009 | Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004 |
| 39 of 2010 | Public Health Tobacco Act 2010 |
