Ireland should follow France’s example and ban smoking in parks, on beaches and near schools, an anti-smoking group has urged. 

The ban will also extend to people who are waiting at bus stops, outside schools or at sports venues. 

Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin said the law is designed to protect children when they go out in public. 

On Lunchtime Live, Tobacco Free Research Institute Ireland Director General Professor Luke Clancy said the Irish Government should introduce similar legislation to “denormalise smoking even further”. 

He added such a ban would not be completely new. 

“For instance, our institute was involved with Fingal County Council which introduced smoke free playgrounds in their parks,” he explained. 

“This was very important; we had research which showed that at the perimeters of the parks where the carers were, the level of nicotine and other pollutants was very high.

“So, they banned it there and it has been very successful; we showed afterwards that the level went down.” 

A woman smoking on the beach. Picture by: John Oates / Alamy.

Professor Clancy added that being able to live and socialise in a healthy environment should be considered a “human rights” issue. 

“If you’ve ever been in a sports stadium and sat down wind and smoke lashes into your face, that’s very irritating as well as being harmful,” he said. 

“If you’re going to talk about beaches, well there are other considerations here. 

“There are human rights that you should be able to breathe fresh, clear air. 

“But there’s also the fact that they’re litter - they’re a huge cause of litter on beaches. 

“Now you can add to that from electronic cigarettes - they’re being disposed of and they have valuable lithium in them.” 

Freedom?

Also on the programme, journalist Ian O’Doherty lamented that it “just never stops, does it?”

“These people are just obsessed with controlling every aspect of our lives,” he said. 

“The French used to be famous for laissez-faire; you could pretty much do what you want. 

“They’ve taken a very dark turn over the last few years.” 

In 2004, Ireland became the first country in the world to ban smoking in in bars, restaurants and workplaces.

Main image: A woman smoking. Picture by: Alamy.com.