Calls for exceptions to smoke ban

There have been calls on the Minister for Health, Micheal Martin, to relax the ban on smoking for residents of nursing homes, prisoners, and psychiatric patients.

The Irish College of Psychiatrists said long-stay psychiatric patients should be allowed to smoke in designated areas, away from staff and other patients.

The Irish Prison Service says prisoners should be allowed smoke in their cells, when they are locked in.

Minister plans to go ahead with ban

Earlier, Micheál Martin asserted his intentions to go ahead with his plan to ban smoking in pubs and restaurants from 1 January, following his visit to New York.

Publicans' organisations here had criticised the Minister, saying he had spent too much time in New York talking to public officials who brought in the ban.

Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme from the United States, Mr Martin said there was anecdotal evidence to suggest that businesses there had benefited.

He said he has been shown research indicating that there was no adverse impact on the hospitality industry from the ban, adding that business in some restaurants and other businesses reported improvements.

He further questioned the validity of the petition from the Licensed Vintner's Association showing that 93% of bar workers in Dublin wanted a compromise solution.