Madam, - As I understand it, the State owes a duty of care to its prisoners. Therefore, in permitting smoking in its prisons after a general ban acknowledges the ill effects of smoking, the State will be clearly negligent and will be open to legal actions similar to those successfully pursued by the Army.
Given that this situation is self-evidently true, and that the Government is clearly aware of it, from which Minister personally can we recollect the compensation awards?
It will be so much tidier if we can agree this important detail now rather than afterwards. - Yours, etc.,
DEREK McCANN,
The Cloisters,
Bettystown,
Co Meath.
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Madam, - If the ban on smoking in pubs is enforced to the same extent as the ban on fireworks, the publicans have little or nothing to worry about. - Yours, etc.,
PATRICK KAVANAGH,
Dargle Road,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
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Madam, - I have heard it said that pub landlords and staff do not like the idea of having to go up to a person who has had seven or eight pints to ask them to stop smoking.
I sympathise with this concern, and have come up with a sophisticated solution: Stop serving seven or eight pints to people. - Yours, etc.,
NEAL O'CARROLL,
Bromley Court,
Wicklow Town.