Letter to consultees
EQIA screening - smoking in cars carrying childrenThe Minister is pleased to publish for consultation draft regulations which propose to restrict smoking in private motor vehicles when children under 18 are present. For the purposes of the regulations, ‘smoking’ refers to smoking tobacco or anything which contains tobacco, or smoking any other substance.
Smoking is already prohibited in shared work vehicles and on public transport, including taxis. The proposed regulations extend this restriction to private motor vehicles when a minor is present and will help to protect children from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. The draft regulations propose a dual enforcement approach between district councils and the PSNI, and provide each with the power to issue fixed penalty notices to offenders.