The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, has received an award from Europe's leading lung specialists in recognition of his part in banning workplace smoking.
Accepting the award on behalf of the Government, Mr Martin told anti-smoking campaigners not to underestimate the influence of ordinary people who - unlike certain industry groups - were overwhelmingly supportive of the ban.
"Although it was difficult at times and there were many obstacles during the course of implementing the ban, I believe it provides a health legacy not just for current generations of Irish people but also for future generations."
The Minister was speaking in Glasgow at the annual conference of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), whose president Prof Walter McNicholas predicted a "drastic decline" in the number of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder cases in Ireland due to the ban.
"While we recognise the impact of the ban will not be seen for a number of years, its significance cannot be ignored," said Prof McNicholas.
"The decision by the Irish Government to introduce legislation which banned smoking in the workplace was due to the energy and commitment of Micheál Martin," he added.
More than 14,000 European lung specialists were in Glasgow for the event, at which calls were made for a similar smoking ban to be introduced in other jurisdictions.
The Scottish Executive has expressed support for a local ban, and the its First Minister, Mr Jack McConnell, was in Dublin last week to see how the Irish law was operating.
The ERS award is the third to have been received by the Minister for his role in introducing the ban. Last week, Mr Martin received a gold medal award at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology in Munich, while last June he was presented with a World Health Organisation award during the Irish presidency of the EU
(Additional reporting PA)
