Opposition fails to halt smoking ban

Despite the controversy, threats of legal action, opinion polls and outrage, the smoking ban finally begins today in workplaces throughout the country.

When the ban was announced over a year ago, the Government sparked an outcry among many groups, particularly those in the hospitality trade.

It has been a long fight but although opposition remains, most protesters have accepted they have little choice but to comply with the law.

The Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance, which has over 30,000 members, was set up especially to negotiate with the Government over its radical proposals.

It has vigorously campaigned against a blanket ban and sought advice on taking the matter to the European courts.

Spokesman Finbar Murphy described it as a “high brow pub-bashing exercise” and said it would put many small companies out of business.

He accused the Department of Health of bypassing the wishes of the majority of publicans for not introducing a protection system whereby traders can apply for a waiver if business is severely affected.

Mr Murphy warned that the smallest rural establishments will be the worst hit, as well as those close to the Northern border.

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) represents 6,000 publicans outside the capital and has campaigned against the ban since it was first announced.

The group claimed the law would have a negative effect on business which in turn would lead to thousands of job losses.

Dublin publicans are represented by the Licensed Vintners’ Association (LVA) which, together with the VFI, issued a string of alternative proposals to the Government.

They included regulations for new ventilation systems, compulsory non-smoking areas and no smoking at the bar.

The LVA threatened legal action, claiming the blanket ban was unjustified and not properly researched.

Both groups have now accepted the ban. The LVA withdrew its threat of legal action earlier this month and has advised members to comply with the law.

However, they have both maintained calls for smokers to be held jointly responsible for breaking the law in licensed premises. The VFI has pledged to legally defend any member they believe is prosecuted unfairly.

The Cigarette Machine Operators’ Association expressed fears that many of its 120 member companies will go out of business and is bracing itself for redundancies.

They have ordered one million herbal cigarettes to be installed in machines in pubs from next week for a trial period.

President Gerry Lawlor said he was not hopeful the idea would catch on but that it would at least highlight the flaws surrounding the ban.

“Obviously we are trying to supplement the fall-out with other products but whether they will sell is another matter,” he said.

The introduction of herbal cigarettes would make it difficult to police the ban and has caused problems when it came to making prosecutions in the US.

But Health Minister Micheál Martin has dismissed such concerns and described the plan as a “red herring.”

Meanwhie, health organisations across the country joined forces to rally support for the ban.

Groups including ASH Ireland, the Irish Cancer Society, the Irish Heart Foundation and IMPACT – Ireland’s largest public sector trade union – warned that passive smoking increased the risk of lung cancer in co-workers by up to 30% and said the ban would be an incentive for smokers to stub them out for good.