Big stick taken to small publicans
While I am vehemently opposed to this iniquitous smoking ban, I am
anti-smoking and take great umbrage at suggestions that either I or the Vintners Federation is a lapdog to the tobacco industry.
Indeed, the VFI has repeatedly called on Micheál Martin to ban the sale of all tobacco products, which is what he would do if he were genuine in his concerns for our wellbeing.
This ban is about the level of risk posed by secondary smoke (subject to mandatory levels of extraction), since smokers are still being allowed to continue smoking.
It is simply not possible to quantify the number of smoking-related deaths among non-smokers, since to do so would presume that only smoke can cause lung and heart disease. Is this what is being seriously suggested?
So this ban is being predicated on supposition rather than irrefutable fact.
Proponents of the ban ignore the fact that proper ventilation has been proven to eliminate most, if not all, smoke from the enclosed environment.
We would contend that the level of risk remaining thereafter is no higher than that associated with many everyday occurrences (petrol/diesel fumes, toxic sprays on vegetables, etc), and far less than some (air transport, driving, contact sports, etc).
But no one is seriously suggesting that there should be a blanket ban in all these cases.
As to the hugely reduced level of risk associated with properly ventilated environments, anyone who is still fearful can choose to avoid those places. All the VFI wants is free choice.
There are as many reputable studies supporting the effectiveness of modern ventilation systems as there are studies confirming the harm done by passive smoking. Why is it that only the latter are quoted by the pro-ban lobby?
Why did Mr Martin, in a recent TV interview, quote the inadequacy of some of the measures proposed by the vintners while avoiding any reference to the kernel of the VFI’s proposal, ie, proper ventilation, with which the aforementioned measures are inextricably linked. Could it be that, in his heart, he believes that the ventilation argument is irrefutable? Why won’t he punish the offending smoker? Surely, if he were sincere, he would ensure that the primary responsibility for upholding the law should lie with the perpetrator rather than an unpaid ‘policeman’.
Would the minister, if made aware of someone breaking the speed limit in a village without being detected, then prosecute the local garda? Imagine the uproar from the GRA. Well, that’s what’s being proposed for the publicans.
When PAYE workers protest at iniquitous taxation or job-threatening legislation, they are correctly portrayed as trying to protect their jobs/livelihoods.
And so it is also with farmers, Aer Lingus cabin crews, teachers, civil servants, etc.
When journalists are threatened by libel laws, they get the support of the very considerable facilities of the press to wage their campaigns, without fear of interruption or contradiction.
However, when the small publicans of Ireland (and the vast majority fall into that category) try to defend their livelihoods and integrity, they are portrayed as “greedy publicans”.
What of the immense benefits that publicans have brought to the collective wellbeing of our community? There is the unparalleled sense of community/sociability provided by thousands of pubs, for which this country has been justly lauded. Indeed, it plays a significant part in the success of our tourism industry.
Yet the fact that hundreds, if not thousands, of country pubs do not open until 7pm or 8pm, while thousands more publicans must hold second jobs to survive, is ignored by such as the Taoiseach when he, very insultingly, said, “they’re making too much money already”.
Why is it that a survey of bar workers, which resulted in 84% being in favour of compromise, is dismissed as being the result of intimidation, without the validity of the survey being checked? Surely there can be no voice that deserves to be heard more. Yet, the only voice we hear is that of Mandate, which represents less than 5% of the bar workforce. Why haven’t the media commissioned their own independent research to confirm or deny this fact?
Paddy Doyle,
Ferns,
Co Wexford.
