The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, has openly opposed the plan by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, to ban smoking in pubs and restaurants from January 1st next year.
The Minister for Agriculture voiced his opposition when he opened a new bottling line for Cork-based brewery Beamish & Crawford on Friday. Departing from a prepared script, Mr Walsh said: "I have received strong representations from vintners who have told me that if the ban goes ahead it would have a detrimental effect on their businesses.
"The drinks industry is not against a ban on smoking. They want it phased in. Or a case can also be made for a smoking room. I know Micheál Martin is committed to reducing smoking-related illnesses, but according to the drinks industry, if the ban goes ahead there will be major job losses.
"We have another six months to tease this out and, with a bit of goodwill, a way can be found to protect jobs and respect Micheál Martin," said the Minister.
However, the Department of Health and Children said Minister Martin remained determined to bring in the new regulations from New Year's Day as planned. "The position is still the same as far as we are concerned. The Minister remains committed to a ban on smoking in the workplace. This is a health and safety issue. It is about smoke in the workplace," said a Department spokesperson.
The Health and Safety Authority and Office of Tobacco Control have both warned the Department that barworker unions will sue if smoking is not banned.
Rejecting Mr Walsh's view that a smoking ban will hurt publicans' trade, the spokesperson told The Irish Times: "There is evidence from the United States that people have come back to pubs after smoking was banned there."
The Minister for Health does not need to get legislation passed by the Oireachtas to outlaw smoking in either pubs or restaurants since this is already covered by laws banning smoking in the workplace.
The ban is highly unpopular amongst some members of the Fianna Fail Parliamentary Party, who have urged that one-third of a public house should be kept for smokers.
Tipperary South TD Mr Noel Davern has claimed that up to 30 colleagues support his calls for change, though so far the group has refrained from putting down a formal motion before the Parliamentary Party.
Cork North Central Fianna Fail TD Mr Noel O'Flynn has roundly condemned the plan, warning that tourists and locals will abandon public houses.
The Minister for Agriculture's comments came after a plea for a Government rethink from the managing director of Beamish & Crawford, Mr Alf Smiddy. "I believe that an extreme position is being adopted with a potentially devastating impact in the industry and I urge the Minister for Agriculture to intervene on the matter," he said.
Meanwhile, the brewery chief also urged Mr Walsh to urge the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, to impose extra taxes on alcopops. "If this were done, I believe that it would clean up the image of the drinks industry," said Mr Smiddy, who had invited Mr Walsh to open the company's €7 million bottling line.
A TNS/MRBI survey published by the Office of Tobacco Control last month showed that 67 per cent of the public support the proposed ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants. Support among smokers was 40 per cent.
