Hospital smoking ban not enforceable

You report that “a complete ban on smoking in hospitals and on adjoining grounds in the Mid-West comes into force this Thursday” (Irish Examiner, May 29).

It begs the questions, “what is the justification for this?” and “have they the authority to do so?”.

These hospitals are public property, owned by smokers and non-smokers alike. Up to one-third of their patients, staff and visitors at any time are likely to be smokers.

It is important to understand that this is not a law, and smokers who choose to ignore it while on the grounds of these hospitals are not breaking any law by doing so.

They are, in fact, exercising their rights and freedoms instead.

Moves like this are both short-sighted and vindictive and are yet another example of the HSE avoiding the real issues they confront in favour of being seen to do something political instead.

John Mallon

Forest Éireann

PO Box 322

North City Delivery Service Unit

Churchfield

Cork