Smoke ban to go ahead as planned but prisons may be exempted

THE smoking ban will go ahead from January 26 next year, but prisons are set to be excluded from the prohibition to prevent security and conduct problems.

After publishing the regulations to bring in the ban yesterday, Minister for Health Micheál Martin warned publicans against saying they would not enforce the ban, as environmental tobacco smoke was a carcinogen.

Taking another swipe at the anti-ban lobby, the Minister said the debate on the ban was helpful and the claim that up to 65,000 jobs would be lost in the hospitality industry severely damaged the argument of those against its introduction.