82% of local authorities have banned smoking from children’s playgrounds, according to a new report.

The Institute of Public Health has found that 26 of the countries’ 31 city and county councils have introduced smoke free playgrounds.

It is part of a trend to ban smoking from all public places, to reduce the harm caused by second hand smoke.

In Ireland, nearly a quarter of people over the age of 15 are smokers.

A new law, banning people from smoking in cars carrying children was introduced in January of this year.

Director of Policy at the Institute of Public Health Helen McEvoy, has said anti-smoking laws are hugely beneficial to the overall health of children: “I think the importance in progressing and implementing smoke free spaces in the playground, in sports stadia and in outdoor campuses, is that it contributes to denormalising smoking particularly in places which are designated for children.

“It is about supporting that culture change that was really started with the workplace smoking ban in 2004.”