Yesterday we announced the shortlist of nominees for the 2018 Golden Nanny Awards that take place in Dublin next week.
They are minister for health Simon Harris TD; former health minister Senator Dr James Reilly; former minister of state for health promotion Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD; Professor Donal O'Shea, clinical lead for obesity, HSE; Dr Patrick Doorley, chairman, ASH Ireland; Dr Bobby Smyth, board member, Alcohol Action Ireland; and Eunan McKinney, head of communications and advocacy, Alcohol Action Ireland.
Following the introduction of campus smoking bans Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin and the University of Limerick have also been shortlisted.
Another nominee, the Restaurants Association of Ireland, has been shortlisted after its chief executive Adrian Cummins gave a "cautious welcome" to a ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas.
Interestingly, in 2014 Cummins also called for a total ban on the use of e-cigarettes in restaurants.
The shortlist reflects two major developments in Ireland this year, the passing of the alcohol bill which aims to reduce alcohol consumption, and proposals to ban smoking in outdoor dining areas.
The alcohol bill includes ‘restrictions on advertising, separation of alcoholic products from retail areas inside shops and the introduction of cancer warning labels on containers.’.
You can read our nominations press release on the Forest website but here’s what John Mallon, spokesman for Forest Ireland, had to say:
“The Golden Nanny Awards celebrate excellence in finger-wagging and an unhealthy desire to intervene in other people's lives.
"This year's shortlist is particularly strong. Choosing the winners will be difficult because every nominee deserves a Nanny.
"The judging panel will examine the evidence very carefully before deciding who should receive one of these coveted awards."