Minister of State for labour Mr Frank Fahey has issued a statement in support of the upcoming ban on smoking in pubs saying his only concerns were in relation to a number of "technical issues".
Mr Fahey had refused to comment since it was reported he had spoken in favour of a compromise on the ban at a Fianna Fail parliamentary Party meeting last week.
A spokesman for Mr Fahey said the junior minister was awaiting the outcome of a Health and Safety Authority (HSA) report due next week.
But in a statement released this evening Mr Fahey said: "As Minister for Labour Affairs, I support Government policy and will implement proposals as handed down by Government including in relation to the ban on smoking.
"My concerns in the matter relate to a number of technical issues only. In particular I believe we need to carefully address the issue of enforcement.
"I am currently awaiting recommendations from the Health & Safety Authority . The HSA is formulating a report on smoking in the workplace which is to be considered by the Authorities' October Board meeting and will then be submitted to me for consideration.
"The Board, on its own initiative, is also undertaking a study in relation to ventilation technology available and has visited Finland to investigate its use of separate ventilation systems and lower air pressures. The Authority is to report to me separately on these issues.
"The Dangerous Substance Advisory Committee of the HSA is to meet shortly to consider further issues in relation to environmental tobacco smoke. I await all of these recommendations.
"As Minister with responsibility for health and safety in the workplace, I would again reiterate my full commitment to ensuring a safe and healthy work environment for all employees," the statement concluded.
Speaking about the HSA report in the Dáil last week, Mr Fahey said the "views which emerged in the nationwide public consultation process ranged from those totally opposed to smoking in the workplace on health grounds to those who feel their livelihood would be threatened by an outright ban on smoking in the workplace."
Mr Fahey said depending on the contents of the report "the main course of action open to me is an amendment of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Carcinogens) Regulations. Such an amendment may either be an outright ban on tobacco smoke in the workplace on the grounds that it is a carcinogen or that smoking could be severely limited and controlled in the workplace."
