Sir, – It was with dismay that I read the letter (June 29th) in support of banning smoking in public parks from Dún Laoghaire Co Councillor Deirdre Donnelly. The inane content of it just typifies the completely over-the-top interfering nanny state mentality that has over-run our once great little country. She asks if passive smoking is so harmless why was a smoking ban introduced in indoor public places in 2004.
Try figuring out the difference between the words “indoor” and “outdoor”. Indoors, one is subject to the inhalation of passive smoke. Outdoors, unless you ask for a drag on the smoker’s cigarette, I would imagine you might actually escape with your lungs intact.
I am a former smoker so I have seen it from both sides. – Yours, etc, ROBERT GREENHALGH Clontarf, Dublin 3.