Madam, - Publicans and hoteliers seem to be having hard time coping with the proposed new rules. The answer to the following questions might prove instructive.
As employers, are they prepared to fully indemnify current and future employees against the effects of passive smoking? Are their insurance companies prepared to cover such risk? Are the employers willing to pay the premiums necessary to cover the risk? Are the firms who supply the extraction equipment prepared to guarantee that their products can remove all deleterious materials that results from smoking? Are they prepared to indemnify the publicans?
The truth is that smoking rooms will not work for clients or employees because extraction will not remove all noxious materials. The smoke-filled environment that prevails at present cannot be judged to be safe and the obligation is on employers to provide a safe place of work. - Yours, etc.,
THEO McLOUGHLIN, Ballymore, Craughwell, Co Galway.