Union defies opposition to support smoking ban

SIPTU members at the union’s biannual conference yesterday passed a motion in favour of the controversial smoking ban despite strong opposition from some local branches.

Following a heated debate, delegates at the union’s Galway conference voted by a majority of two to one in favour of the ban due to come into effect in January.

However, Marian Marr of SIPTU’s drinks and tobacco wholesale distribution branch said she could not support the ban in its current form.