IPH welcome the opportunity to respond to the NI consultation on regulations to restrict smoking in private vehicles when children are present. 

The draft regulations proposed that the existing leglislation, as set out in the Smoking (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, will be extended so that it will be an offence to: 

- smoke in a private vehicle with someone under 18 present; and

- to fail to prevent smoking in a private vehicle with someone under 18 present. 

Similar legislation was enacted in the Republic of Ireland in March 2016. The consultation sought views on the proposed new offences, and exemptions as well as views on how the new measures would be enforced. IPH fully supports the introduction of regulations on smoking in private vehicles when children are present. 

IPH has a long history of supporting tobacco control policies across the island of Ireland through research, briefing papers, consultation responses and evidence submissions to government committees.