Publicans demand hardship waiver for smoking ban
With the ban due to come into effect four weeks from today, the Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance (IHIA) plans to blitz members of the Oireachtas and councillors with pleas to support their campaign reminding them that their stance will be remembered in the local elections in June.
Alliance chairman, Finbar Murphy, returned from a fact-finding trip to Boston yesterday where, he said, the location of districts where the ban is in place along side districts where there were no restrictions, provided proof of what would happen in border counties here.
"Businesses where there is no ban are absolutely delighted because business is up substantially. Their neighbours in districts where the ban is in place are suffering. There is definitely going to be a border issue," he said.
He said the introduction of a waiver system would provide some peace of mind. "If the minister says the ban will only be good for business, then he should have had no difficulty including a waiver because by his calculation, no-one will need recourse to it."
Mr Murphy said the IHIA would take legal advice on the ban implementation guidelines, due to be issued by the minister shortly, but he conceded an attempt to get an injunction to stop the ban was unlikely.
The Vintners Federation of Ireland refused to comment on reports that their legal advisors had concluded a challenge was unlikely.
Mr Martin is also planning to intensify his campaign by launching a series of television advertisements tomorrow. The three 20-30 second ads will focus on the health implications of passive smoking, the onus on pub customers to refrain from smoking and the right of employees in other workplaces to work in a smoke-free environment.
