Restaurateurs happy with outcome of smoking ban

The Restaurant Association of Ireland has said its members have not suffered any reduction in business as a result of the workplace smoking ban.

Restaurants had initially feared the ban would lead to a drop in customers, but RAI spokesman Aidan McManus said today that the association was generally happy with the measure.

“From our own personal knowledge, business has been the same as last year,” he said.

“As a restaurant association, we’re very happy in general with the no smoking. It makes [a restaurant] a much nicer place to eat food.”