A Galway's publican's challenge to the workplace smoking ban was averted yesterday when the Attorney-General and the Western Health Board were both given an undertaking that he would comply with the legislation.
However,the Vintners' Federation of Ireland's (VFI) Galway city and county branch will be discussing the possibility of a constitutional challenge to the smoking ban at a meeting early next week.
The Western Health Board (WHB) has confirmed that it has also "seriously considering" taking legal action against customers who breached the smoking ban in Galway this week.
In a separate development, Mr Ronan Lawless, owner of Fibber Magees licensed premises on Eyre Square, has been asked to appear before Spiddal District Court today in relation to several exemptions or licence extensions which he had been granted earlier.
The Western Health Board (WHB) had given Mr Lawless and his business partner, Mr Ciaran Levanzin, until 4 p.m. yesterday to comply with the smoking ban or face a High Court injunction today. The Attorney General's office had also issued proceedings, and had been prepared to go to the High Court last evening. However, the owners gave both bodies a written assurance that they would comply with the Act's provisions "in their entirety".
The pub was closed yesterday, and the owners said it would remain so "until further notice".