Support for a ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants has fallen in recent months, a new opinion poll says today.
Just 52 per cent of adults questioned said they supported the Government's plans for a complete ban, while 42 per cent disapproved.
A similar poll carried out in February showed 59 per cent of the population were in favour and a third disagreed.
The poll by Millward Brown IMS revealed just 37 per cent of the 1,090 respondents supported the plans by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, to introduce the ban on January 1st, 2004. A third of respondents said it should be phased in gradually.
Mr Martin is on a fact-finding mission in New York, where smoking is already banned in all bars and restaurants.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio this morning, Mr Noel Davern, Fianna Fáil Tipperary-South TD and outspoken opponent of the ban, claimed the poll shows people are beginning to realise the effect the law will have. He has previously said up to 50 members of the parliamentary party supported his position.
He said he did not think the ban should be scrapped altogether but thought a compromise should be reached, whereby pubs provided separate smoking rooms and installed effective ventilation systems.
"It has to be brought in," he added. "I accept that and I accept that [Mr Martin] is doing the right thing. What I'm looking for is a compromise."