Smoking ban opponent 'ready to stub out'

A prominent figure in the campaign against the ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants today accepted he would have to stub out his cigarettes from January 1.

Noel Davern TD said he realised the rule would be introduced despite his calls for a U-turn.

He was speaking after Bertie Ahern rejected calls for a compromise from a number of members of Fianna Fáil.

Mr Davern said: “That’s what seems to be the end of my intervention on this system and I will just have to find a way to enjoy myself otherwise.”

The Fianna Fáil representative tabled a motion demanding a compromise at Tuesday night’s party meeting.

Although more than 20 TDs and senators spoke strongly against the ban, their calls were quashed by Mr Ahern in the Dáil today.

The Taoiseach said: “From the first of January smoking will be prohibited in the workplace.

“The principle of the prohibition is to protect workers and the public from the exposure to harmful toxic environmental tobacco smoke.”

Mr Ahern said Health Minister Micheál Martin had listened to opposition but that it was not going to change his decision.

He said the move had been announced a year in advance so people had a chance to prepare for it.

Noel Davern said afterwards that he intended to obey the rule despite his strong opposition.

He said: “We’ll probably get pneumonia standing out in the middle of winter smoking outside a pub and probably get colds, flu and everything else.

“But certainly I’m a representative, I will certainly have to comply with the law.

“I won’t like it, but I’m going to have to do it.”

The blanket ban on smoking in workplaces – including pubs and restaurants – is being implemented amid fears for the health of workers due to passive smoking.

Members of lobby group the Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance (IHIA) have campaigned against the law, claiming it will have a negative impact on businesses.

The group is planning to send “smoke police” into pubs in Killarney, Co Kerry, over the weekend of a Fianna Fáil conference in an attempt to highlight the effects of the ban.