Prison officers have called for the proposed workplace smoking ban to apply to all prison areas despite expected difficulties in enforcing it.
The Prison Officers Association yesterday expressed concern at the suggestion that the ban may be watered down to avoid tensions with prisoners arising from implementation.
Mr Nigel Mallon, the association's health and safety representative, said its members voted at their annual conference last May to support the introduction of the smoking ban in prisons in order to protect their health. "If there was to be any watering down, or lesser standard applied in prisons, that would not be acceptable to prison officers," he said.
The Minister for Health and Children, Mr Martin, has revealed that he plans to meet both the POA and the Prison Service next month to discuss the practicalities of implementing the ban.
A spokeswoman for the Minister said yesterday the planned meetings formed part of a consultation process ahead of the publication of the regulations giving effect to the ban, due to apply at all places of work from January 1st next.
A spokesman for the Prison Service said it "fully supported" the proposed ban despite the fact that it posed a number of management difficulties. These partly stemmed from the fact that prisons were a place of residence for inmates, a high proportion of whom smoke.
One option being considered is to allow prisoners smoke in their cells, which is the only area apart from recreational space where smoking is permitted at present.
An estimated 80-85 per cent of the male prison population smokes, and almost 100 per cent of the female prison population.