Martin to battle for smoking ban

HEALTH MINISTER Micheál Martin is preparing to take on opponents of his pub smoking ban and is getting together his own anti-smoking lobby.

As a hospitality industry group confirmed it was assembling a war chest of €250,000 to oppose the ban on smoking in the workplace coming in from January 1 next year, Mr Martin is planning to tour the country to sell the merits of his plan in the Autumn.

The Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance step up their campaign today by heading to the USA to join a catering industry protest against the recently introduced ban in New York.