The Joint Committee on Health and Children was established in November 1997. Since its establishment, the Joint Committee has continued to examine the issue of smoking and health and in November 1999 published a major report entitled "A National Anti Smoking Strategy – A Report on Health and Smoking". In January 2001, the Joint Committee established a sub-committee, called the Sub-Committee on Health and Smoking, to consider matters arising from the 1999 Report.

In June 2001, the Sub-Committee appointed Gay Mitchell T.D. as a Rapporteur to draft the second Interim Report of the Sub-Committee to the Joint Committee. The draft report was considered by the Sub-Committee at meetings on 11^th July and 24^th July 2001. The report, as amended, was agreed and submitted to the members of the Joint Committee.

The draft Second Interim Report of the Sub-Committee on Health and Smoking was considered by the Joint-Committee at its meeting on 24^th July 2001. The report, as amended, was agreed.

The Joint Committee is grateful to the members of the Sub-Committee for their work to date on this very important matter. In particular the Committee would like to express it thanks to Deputy Gay Mitchell for his work as Rapporteur in researching and drafting this report. The Committee would also like to thank those organisations and individuals who made their views and expertise available through their evidence to the Sub-Committee.

The Joint Committee requests that the issues raised in this report be the subject of a debate in both Houses of the Oireachtas.

Batt O'Keeffe T.D.
Chairman
July 2001