Smoking ban - A victory for common sense

Publicans finally appear reluctantly ready to accept that the planned smoking ban is going to be implemented on March 29.

Their vocal campaign of opposition has run aground on the rocks of public recognition that passive smoking is a health hazard, and that everybody should have a right to protection against such smoke in confined public places.

Last month, senior members of the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland were advised not to pose a legal challenge to the smoking ban. They accepted that they could not prevent the ban, and yesterday’s meeting in Portlaoise prompted expressions of disappointment rather than defiance.