New economic research reveals that smoking costs the Irish economy up to €5m a day.
The estimate by a UCD economist is based on the cost of sick leave, increased absenteeism, and lost productivity from smokers.
The study was commissioned by the Department of Health's agency, the Office of Tobacco Control.
It strengthens the arguments of the Minister for Health in his plan to ban smoking in all workplaces from January next year.
The proposed ban will include restaurants, hotels and pubs.
