Angry publicans’ mass meeting in show of strength

ANGRY publicans are to stage a mass meeting next week, in a show of strength against the ban on smoking in the workplace.

The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) has urged all of its 6,000 members to converge on the Heritage Hotel in Portlaoise next Tuesday to send a message to Health Minister Micheal Martin that their opposition to his legislation is not waning.

The move follows the release by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) yesterday of its first set of recommendations as to how the ban should operate, when it comes into effect next January 26.