Vintners offer support to publicans prosecuted under smoking ban

THE country’s largest publicans’ organisation is to provide funds to fight cases taken against colleagues they consider are unfairly prosecuted under the legislation imposing the workplace smoking ban.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) will also reconsider a legal challenge to the legislation in the autumn after allowing time to gauge the impact of the ban on its members’ business.

Around 250 publicans met in Portlaoise yesterday to discuss the ban and the Office of Tobacco Control’s implementation guidelines, the final version of which was circulated to the industry this week.