Publican fumes at FF over ban

ONE publican is so opposed to the smoking ban that he’s put up signs on his premises, urging customers not to vote Fianna Fáil in the future.

Geoffrey Power, owner of Geoff’s bar on Waterford’s John Street, one of the city’s most popular watering holes, has put up two large signs on the front windows of his pub.

The signs, which feature a picture of a smouldering cigarette, simply say Don’t Vote Fianna Fáil.

“I am very annoyed with the way that the ban was implemented. I am a great believer in choice. I’m not against the smoking ban. I’m against the fact that people’s right of choice has been taken away.

“I just wanted to hop the ball and I’m hopping it. My main gripe is that people no longer have the choice whether they want to smoke or not. I’m a smoker myself and do feel that the non-smoker has to be catered for. But we have to be bigger than implementing this ban in the way we have,” said Mr Power.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Seán Dower said the ban received cross-party support and it would be more fitting for the pub to advocate not voting for any party, were it serious about the ban.

“When this bill went through the Dáil, it had cross-party support. Fine Gael, Labour, the Greens and Sinn Féin all supported it. They should have signs up telling people not to vote for any candidates. It’s not right that they would just single out Fianna Fáil,” he said.

Punters at Geoff’s have mixed feelings about the ban. “It’s an intrusion on people’s rights. The PC crowd will be after people who drink, who eat crisps or hamburgers next,” one man said.

But others were a lot happier to be enjoying a coffee, a drink and their lunch in a smoke-free environment. “I’m looking forward to a smoke-free environment. It’s about time I gave up the cigarettes and this is the incentive I need,” another man said. Meanwhile, publicans in nearby Wexford are also up in arms about the implementation of the ban. “The minister just seems to be on a crash course to destroy the Irish pub,” according to local vintners’ spokesman Des Whelan.