Smoking ban revolt - Cynical ruse puts profits over health

THE sudden climbdown by the owner of a Galway pub who allowed smoking on his premises in defiance of the law does not lessen the seriousness of the mini-revolt flaring around the country.

Though the publican is now complying with the legislation, the Government should wake up to the fact that the trend set in Galway has spread to Bantry and Cork city, where the vintners’ campaign of opposition to the workplace smoking ban has found new impetus.

Clearly, if defiance of the ban persists on a countrywide basis it will make a mockery of the law. In a significant development, it has already spread to a handful of other pubs where smokers and publicans are also flouting the law.