Ireland's hospitality sector teams up to tackle smoking ban
Hoteliers in the Irish Republic have joined forces with publicans, restaurateurs and guesthouse owners in a new lobby group opposing government plans to outlaw smoking on their premises from January.
The Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance, representing the different interests, claims that 65,000 jobs could be lost in the sector - almost a third of those employed - if a total ban is imposed. It is planning a high-powered campaign for "a compromise arrangement", one that would allow limited space to be retained for smokers.
A leading Dublin PR agency, Q4, has been recruited to direct the campaign, the cost of which is expected to reach €250,000 (£176,000). In preparation for the campaign, an alliance delegation has travelled to New York for talks with industry colleagues who have already felt the impact of a smoking ban, and who claim it has cut their business by 30%.
Alliance spokesman Finbar Murphy claimed it had almost 4,000 members and that individual donations of €20,000 (£14,000) had already been received. He estimated €250,000 would be needed "to oppose the ban effectively", but insisted that financial support from tobacco companies would not be accepted.
The alliance is seeking a compromise that would balance the needs of smokers and non-smokers as well as staff. That could entail larger no-smoking sections, or the imposition of better air-quality standards.
"We want to protect employment in our sector, while respecting what Minister for Health Michael Martin (who is dealing with the legislation for the smoking ban) wants to do," he said. "We believe this can be achieved through dialogue and compromise."
But Martin insists a total ban must be imposed, arguing that it is a necessary measure to protect the health of bar staff. Ironically, two of the founders of Q4, the PR agency directing the alliance campaign, previously worked with the government. One, Jackie Gallagher, is a former adviser to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern while a second, Martin Mackin, was general secretary of the main government party, Fianna Fail.
