The Minister for Health Mr Martin and the Restaurant Association of Ireland have hailed the success of the smoking ban after a report published today showed nearly all workplaces are complying with the new law.
Initially, the ban on smoking in all enclosed spaces - including pubs - sparked widespread skepticism when it was introduced in March. But the survey from the country's Office of Tobacco Control (OTC) suggested support has swung behind it.
"The successful introduction of the new measure reflects the widespread public support and goodwill that exists for a healthy, smoke-free environment in the workplace," Mr Martin said in a statement released earlier today.
The Republic of Ireland became the first state in the world to outlaw smoking in the workplace when it introduced the ban on March 29th. Norway is set to follow suit at midnight.
Mr Aiden McManus, spokesman for the RAI, said restaurateurs had feared the ban would damage the industry but claimed the association's members are now generally happy with the measure.
He said: "From our own personal knowledge, business has been the same as last year."
He added: "As a restaurant association, we're very happy in general with the no smoking. It makes a restaurant a much nicer place to eat food."
According to the OTC report no-one was caught smoking in 97 per cent of the workplaces inspected in the month after the ban was introduced.
Two-thirds of the inspections were carried out in bars and restaurants, where 96 per cent were found to be obeying the law. Publicans fiercely resisted barring smoking, arguing it would be hard to enforce and would hurt business.
Today's report also contained findings of two market research surveys into public attitudes towards the ban, one carried out just before the law was introduced and the second a month later.
The research indicates that the number of non-smokers visiting pubs/bars had increased slightly since the introduction of the new law, while the numbers of smokers visiting has remained the same," OTC chief inspector Mr Dave Molloy said.
"Significantly, the...research shows that almost one in five smokers chose not to smoke at all when out socialising."
Additional reporting: REUTERS