ANTI-SMOKING CRUSADERS DENY INTERFERENCE

ANTI-SMOKING campaigns by the Department of Health were and would
continue to be formulated without interference from the tobacco
industry, the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children was told
yesterday.

Chris Fitzgerald, principal officer of the Health Department, rejected
claims made at a previous meeting of the committee by Dr Fenton
Howell, president-elect of the Irish Medical Organisation, that the
tobacco industry influenced policy formulation within the department.

"Based on my 10 years experience in dealing with tobacco-related
issues in this department I am prepared to state categorically that
this was not the case," said Mr Fitzgerald.

When Dr Howell appeared before the committee he circulated documents
taken from the internet which gave the impression that Mr Flor
O'Mahony, a director of ITMAC, a trade association for the three main
tobacco companies, was able to influence the group advising the
minister on the introduction of a voluntary code of practice for the
workplace.

Mr Fitzgerald, who heads the department's Health Promotion Unit, said
he met Mr O'Mahony in his office in Hawkins House, in May 1994, at his
(Mr O'Mahony's) request. The meeting was not a secret or unusual
occurrence, he said. It had long been the practise for the department
to meet, from time to time, members of the tobacco industry in
relation to the implementation of tobacco regulations.

"What is important to stress, however, is that these meetings were
never to seek their input into policy formulation, but rather to
address the implementation of policy decisions already taken," said Mr
Fitzgerald.

The official stated that during the meeting Mr O'Mahony argued that
the jury was still out on the scientific evidence on passive smoking.

Mr Fitzgerald said he told Mr O'Mahony that the group had already
decided to include a strong message on passive smoking in a revised
booklet on smoking in the workplace. "It is obviously open to Mr
O'Mahony, or indeed any one else, to interpret the outcome of meetings
as they see fit and to convey this interpretation to their employers,"
said Mr Fitzgerald.

"From my point of view, however, and that of my colleagues in the
department, I want to reassure the committee, and indeed the general
public, that policy decisions related to our ongoing fight against
tobacco consumption were made in an objective and open manner without
any interference from the tobacco industry."