Irish diplomats and officials in Brussels were privately advised to be on guard to rebuff \u201capproaches\u201d made by lobbyists working for the tobacco industry, internal emails show.<\/p>\n
In a warning circulated late last year, Irish officials were directed to avoid meeting lobbyists from Big Tobacco to discuss regulations and controls on cigarettes and other nicotine products.<\/p>\n
The note was sent to the more than 280 staff working in the Republic\u2019s permanent representation to the European Union<\/a>. <\/p>\n C\u00e1it Moran, the deputy head of Ireland\u2019s diplomatic mission to the EU, advised colleagues of the Government<\/a>\u2019s long-standing policy intended to stop the tobacco industry influencing the political system. <\/p>\n \u201cI want to underline the need for ongoing vigilance in respect of any approaches from tobacco lobbyists, or those acting on their behalf … including where the connection or entity does not immediately seem obvious,\u201d Moran wrote in an email on November 21st last to all staff. <\/p>\n Ireland is a party to a World Health Organisation<\/a> (WHO) international agreement on tobacco control, which commits governments to shield health policy from the influence of the industry. <\/p>\n In practice that means officials will, in most cases, refuse to meet representatives of the industry and do not consider their submissions when drafting public health policies. <\/p>\n The big tobacco multinationals, Philip Morris International<\/a>, Japan Tobacco International and the British American Tobacco<\/a> group, which includes Irish company PJ Carroll, all have significant lobbying operations in Brussels. <\/p>\n Internal guidelines from the Department of Health<\/a> were distributed to the State\u2019s corps of diplomats and officials in Brussels, which has tripled in size to nearly 300 staff, as Ireland prepares to take over the rotating Council of the EU presidency<\/a> in July. <\/p>\n The guidelines told officials and civil servants to \u201cactively reject offers to discuss tobacco control policies with the industry\u201d. <\/p>\n [\u00a0Push to close nicotine loopholes at EU level, WHO chief tells McNeillOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n Any decision to meet lobbyists from tobacco companies could have \u201cunintended consequences or be mischaracterised by the tobacco industry\u201d, the document warned. <\/p>\n \u201cThe tobacco industry cannot be treated in the same way as other industries, as its products kill two out of three long-term users and there is a long history of industry interference to influence and undermine tobacco control policy,\u201d it said. <\/p>\n \u201cYou should not accept out-of-office meetings, social events or other hospitality from the tobacco industry,\u201d the guidelines stated.<\/p>\n The internal correspondence and guidelines sent to Irish officials were released to The Irish Times following a Freedom of Information Act request. <\/p>\n In her email to officials in Brussels, Moran asked staff to \u201cfamiliarise\u201d themselves with the \u201cvery clear guidance\u201d, which included advice about how to turn down requests from individuals representing tobacco companies for meetings. <\/p>\n A Department of Health spokesman said the Government guidelines applied to officials serving in diplomatic missions overseas. <\/p>\n Irish public affairs consultancy Red Flag<\/a>, set up by public relations and lobbying executive Karl Brophy<\/a>, conducts work for British American Tobacco in Brussels, according to declarations made to an EU transparency register by the cigarette and nicotine giant. <\/p>\n [\u00a0The investigators spying on illegal cigarette sellers in DublinOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n A plan to revise EU-wide regulations covering tobacco and nicotine products, which date back to 2014, is expected to generate significant pushback from the industry, which is concerned the proposals may extend to banning flavourings in e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. <\/p>\n