One Wexford publican believes he could lose as much as 60 per cent of his business if the proposed ban goes ahead, writes Chris Dooley in Wexford.
Like most of his customers, Wexford publican Mr Des Whelan is a smoker. And like them he particularly enjoys a cigarette when he is having a social drink with friends.
So while national opinion polls may show support for the proposed ban on smoking in pubs, that view does not hold good on either side of the bar in The Wicked Swan.
Mr Whelan, the pub's owner, has carried out a survey of his own to prove it. He asked 25 of his regular customers, smokers and non-smokers alike, to sign a questionnaire and indicate their preference for any of three options: in favour of smoking continuing to be allowed; a complete ban; and special smoking areas.
Nineteen were in favour of smoking being allowed, 13 indicated support for special smoking areas (some ticked both boxes), but there was zero support for a complete ban.
Mr Whelan insists he is not scaremongering when he estimates that he will lose between 35 per cent and 60 per cent of his trade if the ban is enforced without at least some sort of compromise. That would involve letting go at least one of his three staff.
His bar at The Faythe, close to Wexford town centre, is frequented largely by locals, and many are telling him they will not go to the pub if they cannot smoke there, he says.
He cites the example of one customer in his 80s who has a special footstool of his own at the bar. "His name is Peenie and he smokes a pipe. He loves coming down here for a couple of pints at night-time, but if Peenie can't smoke his pipe here, then he won't come out."
As a member of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland executive council, Mr Whelan is familiar with the arguments in favour of a ban, such as those made by the Mandate trade union on behalf of bar staff. The solution, he insists, lies in having adequate ventilation.
The Wicked Swan is a small bar with a low ceiling, but its owner insists it is never smoky, even at busy times, because it has a relatively modern ventilation system, installed about three years ago.
He would upgrade it further, he says, but like many other publicans is waiting to see if the smoking ban is implemented before committing to the investment required.
"Two of my sisters are very anti-smoking. They don't like smoke but they don't mind coming in here. I don't like going into smoky pubs myself, but with modern ventilation systems you can have a complete change of air every five minutes," he says.
He disputes the assertions of those who insist that even the best ventilation systems cannot clear the atmosphere of harmful particles, citing research carried out by the University of Glamorgan, publicised last month by the VHI, which it is claimed proved that ventilation is effective.
Mr Whelan, who smokes about 20 cigarettes a day, says publicans are not promoting smoking. "We're not saying it's good for you, but we are saying that there are feasible, practical, reasonable alternatives to a complete ban, if only the Minister [Mr Martin] would sit down and discuss them with us."
The "Irish pub", he adds, is copied in every country "from China to New York and from Canada to Australia", because it is "envied" everywhere.
"Everyone else seems to think we do it so well. Why is the Government trying to destroy this great Irish institution?"