Madam, - Two headings on page six of your edition of August 27th may not seem related, but they are: "Fall in number of spinal injuries"; and "Tobacco firms say no justification for smoking ban".
In 1998 the then Government introduced the Road to Safety strategy. It was the first integrated plan by an Irish Government aimed at reducing the number of people killed and injured on our roads. It took political will and courage by Noel Dempsey, then the responsible Minister, and these qualities are shown now by Séamus Brennan.
Today, some five years later, the numbers killed are down by 20 per cent and the numbers seriously injured by more than this. Many of the lives saved are are young men aged between 17 and 25. Those involved in this programme know we can do much more. We can save a futher 150 lives and prevent 600 to 750 serious injuries every year. We know this because others have done it and achieved such results with effective programmes.
If the smoking ban in the workplace, in pubs and in other public places is introduced then in five, 10 and 15 years' time and beyond we will also see headlines about lives saved, illnesses avoided, healthier lifestyles and a related reduction in our massive healthcare costs.
As an electorate and as a community we clamour for political leadership to do the right thing and to resist sometimes biased and questionable vested interests.
When good political leadership is shown it should be given uncompromising and clear support. - Yours, etc.,
EDDIE SHAW, Chairman, National Safety Council, Northbrook Road, Dublin 6.
Madam, - I am writing to register my disgust at the proposed new anti-smoking laws.
I smoke because I like it and I regard it as one of life's pleasures to be able to enjoy a few drinks and a few smokes on a night out. Having said this I do not believe I have any divine right to blow smoke into non-smokers faces for the night. Therefore I would have no objection whatsoever to sealed off, designated smokers' areas in pubs.
Despite what opinion polls say, I believe that many, many people feel the same. For many thousands of people like me this is a despicable proposal. And on the other side, I haven't met one pro-ban person yet who wouldn't be willing to give such a compromise a try. There is also an increasing groundswell of anger against an administration that seems to be smothering the country under a blanket of rules and regulations.
While the Government's puritanical stance on this issue is a matter of great frustration there are two other points which I feel need mentioning. Firstly, as noxious fumes are noxious fumes, why has there been nothing in this debate about our present Government's pathetic failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in this country?
Secondly, there is the Minister's boast that the public are going to be the greatest enforcers of this law. I do not like the insidious way we are being turned into a nation of informers. We already have a road safety hotline, an insurance-fraud hotline, a proposed smoking-informers hotline; what next? Do we really want to live in such a spiteful, vengeful country? - Yours, etc.,
PATRICK MURPHY, Keatingstown, Freshford Road, Kilkenny.