Madam, - Tony Hickey (April 3rd) says that the smoking ban covers the entire licensed premises, including beer gardens, yards, terraces and doorways.
I would refer him to section 16 of the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act, 2004: "16. 47.-(1) Subject to subsection (7), the smoking of a tobacco product in a specified place is prohibited.
(7) This section shall not apply to - (c) subject to paragraph (d), a place or premises, or a part of a place or premises, that is wholly uncovered by any roof, whether fixed or movable, (d) an outdoor part of a place or premises covered by a fixed or movable roof, provided that not more than 50 per cent of the perimeter of that part is surrounded by one or more walls or similar structures (inclusive of windows, doors, gates or other means of access to or egress from that part)".
That should clear matters up. - Yours, etc.,
GARRETT O'BOYLE, Department of Political Science, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 1.
Madam, - At my facial trauma clinic this Monday morning there were six fractures of the mandible (lower jaw).
Three of these occurred whilst the victim was smoking outside a pub.
Hopefully this dreadful statistic will not continue to be replicated. - Yours etc.,
J. CLIFF BEIRNE, Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon, St James's Hospital, Dublin 8.