Tobacco control: A new independent institute which will carry out research into tobacco and related issues has been established.
The Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society (RITFS) was officially opened yesterday by the Minister for State for Health, Mr Séan Power in Dublin.
The institute is a private company based on a partnership between the Office of Tobacco Control, ASH Ireland, The Irish Heart Foundation and the Irish Cancer Society.
Aiming to conduct research on behalf of the Government as well as private companies, the institute will draw on the expertise of its "partners" in universities throughout Ireland. In its first year it is expected to have an annual budget of around €1 million drawn from a range of sources including public, private and EU funding.
According to chairman Prof Ivan Perry: "This institute is unique not just in Ireland but in world terms. We are building a multi-disciplinary academic community around the issue of tobacco control - and we plan to support the development of a tobacco-free society.
"Ireland has taken the lead in the fight against tobacco control yet we have very little home-based research to support our initiatives and ongoing progress. RITFS is now set to revolutionise our approach to developing specific data on a wide range of tobacco-related issues."
The institute will fulfil a role of investigating the effectiveness of Government policy on tobacco-related issues as opposed to having responsibility for implementation. In addition to publishing its reports, the institute will have to submit reports to the Department of Health regarding its work.
Prof Luke Clancy, director of the institute, said: "It is not for me to pre-judge projects we have established and will continue to develop - but I have little doubt that we can make a massive contribution in informing governments and wider society of the effects of first and second hand tobacco smoke.
"The health and economic benefit of proving the massive negative impact of tobacco use are potentially enormous and RITFS can make a significant contribution in the years ahead."
The Irish Cancer Society has welcomed the institute's foundation, saying it has an important role to play in terms of helping to form a tobacco control policy.
Mr John McCormack, chief executive of the Irish Cancer Society, said: "The Irish Cancer Society unreservedly supports the establishment of the research institute which will examine all aspects of tobacco control and was indeed involved in the partnership which drove the establishment of this academic community. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of cancer and is thought to be responsible for 30 per cent of all cancers.
"We therefore need to have continuous and multi-disciplinary research into all aspects of tobacco usage and smoking cessation to continue to inform and drive tobacco control policy and strive for a tobacco- free society. We look forward to working with the institute and to welcoming the first pieces of research," he said.