Report to assess economic fallout from smoking ban

A GROUP opposed to the introduction of the smoking ban is commissioning an independent report to assess the economic fallout from the move.

The umbrella group of pubs, hotel and restaurant owners recently returned from a fact-finding mission in New York, where a similar smoking ban was introduced three months ago. It will announce the name of the Irish-based consultancy carrying out the study within 48-hours.

“The economic study will take a sober look at the fallout of this decision in terms of job losses. It will look at places such as New York and Norway to provide comparisons but will also have a specific reference to the Irish situation and industry,” a spokesperson for the Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance (IHIA) said yesterday.