The National Clean Air Award

Irish smoking ban is an ‘Outstanding success’

The Republic of Ireland is celebrating its 3^rd year anniversary of going smokefree with the minister responsible hailing it as an “outstanding success”.

Ireland became the first European country to completely ban smoking in the workplace three years ago. Several other countries have since followed suit.

Experts say the ban has been a great success in combating the ill effects of secondhand smoke, as well as encouraging smokers to kick the habit.

Speaking to mark the third anniversary, Mr Martin said he wanted to pay tribute to the people of Ireland for the manner in which they have embraced the measure.

Before the introduction of Ireland's smokefree environments the management of the White House pub, in Limerick, threatened to close the bar and even placed a full page advert in this newspaper disclosing their intentions.

The manager Glenn MacLoughlin said: “We were seriously worried at the start, but people seem to have adjusted well. However, it's definitely not the same business it was three years ago. The whole industry has tightened up an awful lot.”

As the dust settled on the smoking ban, publicans have faced issues to the trade, including changes to drink driving laws and the tax imposed by the Government on alcohol.

Glin publican John Conway said if publicans were honest with themselves they'd admit that there was a fall-off in the business 12 months before the smoking ban came into effect. “It has made no difference to the trade. There are a number of things that have affected the trade, but the smoking ban was not one of them,” he said.

Mr Conway said that, instead of hitting the publican where it hurts, the smoking ban resulted in a changing landscape and atmosphere within the pub itself.

Source: Belfast Telegraph 29 March 2007 & Limerick Today 30 March 2007