The intention announced yesterday is for a total ban in every workplace, including Pubs, which are the workplace of the bar staff. As APC suggests although the workers (or at least their Unions) are happy the publicans are not. The Vintners groups (as you'd expect in Ireland there are at least two of them) are not happy and they do form a powerful lobby. The effective date is 1 January next which allows for the necessary legislation to be passed, and it wouldn't surprise me too much if there was a fudge on this.

As a non-smoker it seems like a good idea to me, but obviously smokers have a different view. Some say they would stop going to the pub to drink altogether if they are not allowed to smoke, but I don't know if this would be the case in practice. It will be interesting to see if this legislation does emerge and whether or to what extent it will be enforced. Many public spaces in Ireland have been smoke free for a number of years, most people observe this, but there are usually a few rogue smokers around the place who ignore this.