Madam, - The political realities of banning smoking in pubs need more consideration. Most voters favour the ban. But of these people only a small, but influential, minority have strong opinions. Many of these voters rarely visit pubs. To modify the ban would antagonise them, depending on the modification.
Against this, the politician must balance the regular pub drinker, who is more likely to be a smoker, and, come the next election, will not forget that it was Fianna Fáil that stopped him smoking in his local. - Yours, etc.,
BRIAN COWLEY, Leinster Square, Dublin 6.
