Two Dublin mothers claimed in the High Court yesterday they have incurred serious illnesses as a result of heavy smoking over the past three decades. Ms Ann Moloney (44), a mother of three from Bray, Co Wicklow, who uses a wheelchair, said she is confined to her bedroom and can breathe only with the assistance of an oxygen cylinder which she carries in her chair.
She said she believed her condition was because she began smoking in 1969 at the age of 16 and at one stage was smoking 60 cigarettes a day. When she began, she was unaware that cigarettes were a health risk, she said.
"I was totally addicted," she said. She had tried to stop smoking on at least 10 occasions but each time she failed and ended up smoking more and putting on considerable weight. She had only succeeded in recent years.
"Two of my children are smokers. It breaks my heart," she said. "I would urge the Minister to ban smoking in all public places."
Ms Susan Riley (42), from Portmarnock, Co Dublin, said she began smoking at the age of 10 and is still smoking despite having had 11 blood clots on her lungs and two on her stomach.
She said she had been warned by her doctors to quit because her condition was life-threatening and she had tried everything in an effort to stop but had failed.
"I would say I'm the worst addict in Ireland. I would love to go to schools and tell the kids not to end up like me.
"I would do anything to stop myself and anything to stop my own daughter and son smoking," she said. "I hope when they see what I'm doing now they will stop."
Ms Moloney and Ms Riley are among 50 people who yesterday issued court proceedings against some of the major tobacco companies.
They claim they have suffered a serious smoking-related illness or have lost a relative through a smoking-related illness.
The case, a landmark in Irish law, is being taken on behalf of the 50 individuals by a Dublin solicitor, Mr Peter McDonnell, of Peter McDonnell and Associates.
Mr McDonnell said the case was being taken in the light of the recent landmark decision against tobacco companies in the US. A similar action was currently being pursued in the UK courts.
"There is no question but that this is one of the most significant civil cases ever to come before the Irish courts because of the potential scale and impact that it will have on possibly tens of thousands of people, the tobacco industry and the over-stretched health services in this country."
Mr McDonnell called on the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, to join in funding the cases. There was no reason why the State should not help "given the support now being given to residents who are pursuing a case against Sellafield".
He also said the cost to the health services was "phenomenal" in terms of the treatment of people with smoking-related illnesses. "I see no reason why the individual health boards or the Department of Health themselves should not consider taking an action against the manufacturers."