Ahern rules out smoking ban compromise
Despite mounting opposition, Mr Ahern told reporters the ban would still be brought in next January. He said it was clear that passive smoking presented a huge danger to the health of many people. "Can the Government afford to allow a situation where thousands of people die from the two main ways that people die in this country heart disease and cancer?"
Mr Ahern said Health Minister Micheál Martin would be able to finalise details of the regulation once he returned from his visit to New York and had seen how the ban was enforced there.
