Smoking ban a breath of fresh air to company

A MAN who was made redundant after 31 years in a carpet factory, and who was determined it wouldn’t finish his working life, is thanking Health Minister Micheál Martin for a potential windfall.

Declan Murphy, who was told to pack his bags when Youghal Carpet Yarns closed in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, last March, bought a small manufacturing company, Moderector, which is hoping to make the big time by selling canopies to pubs, hospitals and companies in advance of the proposed smoking ban planned from January 1.

Already the orders are piling in, but he admits that publicans are a bit on the slow side.