Irish ban a model for world, says the ‘Insider’

JEFFREY WIGAND expected to arrive in Ireland to be met with shuttered pubs, empty restaurants and unemployment queues all the way to the airport.

He speaks with tongue in cheek, looking around as if expecting tumbleweed to drift by as he recalls the scare stories that a year ago this month had the nation fearing the workplace smoking ban would end civilisation as we knew it.

"Business has not gone to hell, the pubs are still open, the restaurants are still trading. The only thing that has been affected are cigarette sales," he says with satisfaction.