The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, has reprimanded RTE for allowing the actor Jeremy Irons to smoke during a recent live broadcast of the Late Late Show.

Mr Martin said he was "concerned and disappointed" that the RTE authorities had allowed a breach of its code of practice, which prohibits smoking on air and in television studios.

In a reply to a written question from Mr Jack Wall (Lab, Kildare South) the Minister said that "my concerns over this matter have been brought to the attention of senior management in RTE".

Mr Wall had asked the Minister his reaction to the station allowing guests on chat shows to smoke.