Members of the Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance, set up to fight the outright ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants to be introduced by the Government in January, flew to New York yesterday to examine the impact of the smoking ban there.
The group will participate in a rally in New York today, when the ban on smoking is introduced state-wide, having been in force in the city since April.
The alliance, which invited three journalists from the Examiner, Evening Echo and Star to travel with them, claims the introduction of the ban here could cost 65,000 jobs. The Star said last night it was paying for its journalist to travel with the delegation, but the Examiner said its journalist was told the alliance would pay all expenses.
The group will receive briefings in New York today and tomorrow about the impact of the ban there. Initial reports, they say, indicate the ban has produced an average loss in business of 30 per cent in New York city.
The delegation will meet business and employee interests, as well as scientific, political and policing representatives. A former Fianna Fáil general secretary, Mr Martin Mackin, who now works with the Q4 public relations company which is advising the alliance, travelled with them.
The Irish Cancer Society urged journalists travelling with the group to investigate the New York pro-health stance on the introduction of no-smoking laws.