Junior Health Minister Finian McGrath is at the centre of another controversy.

It has been reported that he believes the smoking ban should be relaxed.

In an interview with the Sunday Business Post, the Junior Health Minister said he would like to see indoor smoking areas in pubs.

The minister has only just defused a separate controversy, by agreeing to pay his water charges.

Irish Examiner columnist Gerard Howlin has said the Minister’s lack of experience is becoming clear: “I don’t think it is about the discipline thing as much as the inexperience thing.

“These are very experienced parliamentarians, they have been around Leinster House I mean Finian McGrath has been a TD since 2002 but he has been firing his water pistol in to the system all those years, this is the first time when he has had responsibility.”