Skip to content
Support Us

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

No smoking sign via Shutterstock

3,726 lives saved by introducing the smoking ban in 2004

Ireland was the first country in the world to ban smoking in workplaces including restaurants, bars, and pubs.

A NEW STUDY has shown that around 3,726 lives are estimated to have been saved by introducing a smoking ban in Ireland.

The ban came into effect on 29 March, 2004, with Ireland becoming the first country in the world to introduce the comprehensive legislation banning smoking in workplaces including restaurants, bars, and pubs.

Immediately after the ban was introduced, the study by authors at Brunel University, London found that there was a 13 per cent decrease in all types of death, a 26 per cent reduction in ischemic heart disease, a 32 per cent reduction in stroke and a 38 per cent reduction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The authors of the study put down the decreases in the amount of deaths to reductions in passive smoking.

Studies in pubs and bars also showed reductions in particulate concentrations of smoke, reductions in worker-reported exposure to second-hand smoke, and related improvements in worker pulmonary function and self-reported respiratory symptoms.

Read: Retailers fuming over illegal cigarette trade>

More: Meet the lone ‘sheriff’ of the ‘ashtray of Europe’>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
47 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pius Flynn
    Favourite Pius Flynn
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:06 PM

    I hope she never sees the light of day again

    470
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Suzie Sunshine
    Favourite Suzie Sunshine
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:09 PM

    The sickening thing is , she will .

    216
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute alwaysrightokay
    Favourite alwaysrightokay
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 9:14 PM

    Will she even do time I wonder

    70
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute TheCredibleHulk
    Favourite TheCredibleHulk
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 9:19 PM

    I doubt it. It’ll be a Suspended sentence

    50
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Johnneary
    Favourite Johnneary
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 10:42 PM

    This is Ireland.
    She’ll most likely, get a fully furnished new house to add to her previous portfolio of 3.
    A new car.
    A raise in her benefits.
    New clothes.
    And hundreds of thousands of Euro in medical and counselling expenses.

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nicola Long
    Favourite Nicola Long
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:08 PM

    This woman does not deserve to call herself a mother. She’s nothing but a disgusting human. Fair play to those kids for going through with this case and sorry to hear this was allowed to carry on for so long.

    229
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Deborah Behan
    Favourite Deborah Behan
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:50 PM

    How did she get bail? Vile human being, I hope she gets a proper sentence and the kids get the love and help they need.

    88
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Greg O'Riordan
    Favourite Greg O'Riordan
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:30 PM

    How could this continue over time without something being done? Neighbours aware, school aware of issues. What did social services do here? This is madness.

    183
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Hazelnut
    Favourite John Hazelnut
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 10:30 PM

    Yes, Greg, I wonder what Social Services did here, and what the ISPCC did here, too.

    It seems to just have been allowed to continue for 5 years.

    It’s astounding, with Child Abuse supposedly being taken so seriously.

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cupid Stunt
    Favourite Cupid Stunt
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:19 PM

    I can’t understand what makes someone do that to kids, any kids. I just hope that they get the love and attention that they deserve now as young adults.

    155
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan O'connor
    Favourite Alan O'connor
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:11 PM

    Her defense team? Who paid for that I wonder?

    Where is/are the father(s)?

    How is this tolerated in the 21st century?

    130
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciaran Coye
    Favourite Ciaran Coye
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:33 PM

    She may not even know who the fathers are.

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Serena O'Hora
    Favourite Serena O'Hora
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:06 PM

    Disgusting! Poor children, God love them

    117
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tweeter
    Favourite Tweeter
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:14 PM

    Why didn’t the neighbours report her?

    112
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sinead Laird
    Favourite Sinead Laird
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:12 PM

    What a twisted bitch

    96
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Al Ca
    Favourite Al Ca
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:35 PM

    I heard some of the mothers defence evidence reported on the radio today in relation to the two boys having their hair pulled out by her…….

    “She said the boys were exaggerating, yes, she said, she had to hold them forcibly in a headlock and it took some power to force the neck of the Fairy washing liquid bottle past their clenched teeth as they struggled and won’t allow her to pour the washing up liquid in their mouths because they said a rude word but she didn’t pull out clumps of hair”

    That was her defence on that charge alone.
    She didn’t see anything wrong with it, that was her defence………What an evil woman.

    88
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Aoife McCarrick
    Favourite Aoife McCarrick
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:28 PM

    She is evil, I hope that she never gets out.

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sinead
    Favourite Sinead
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 9:56 PM

    It wasn’t just her that failed the children, why were they left in her care for so long, why did it take so long to bring her to court?

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute anthony campion
    Favourite anthony campion
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 11:13 PM

    Why was there a delay of 5 years from when social services got involved until the kids were taken from this vile evil woman

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter Murray
    Favourite Peter Murray
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 11:03 PM

    The poor kids. I hope they can go on to lead normal happy lives.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute john truman
    Favourite john truman
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 10:59 PM

    This evil piece of sc#m should be fed on bread and water for the rest of her miserable life

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe Hill
    Favourite Joe Hill
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:14 PM

    I hope she gets the help she needs, and for the children’s sake that she is able to establish a normal relationship with them in time.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sinead Laird
    Favourite Sinead Laird
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:23 PM

    Joe, I would say that the relationship is way beyond repair.

    118
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Colin Moran
    Favourite Colin Moran
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:26 PM

    ‘The help she needs’?!! Are you for real Joe?
    Why is every perpetrator of horrific crimes given the tag of ‘victim’? Some people are just evil, nasty, deplorable animals and should be disposed of.

    114
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lily
    Favourite Lily
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:35 PM

    After witnessing first hand similar events above I can say from my own experience that forgiveness comes in time. May be a few years, may take decades, the child will still want to be loved / accepted by the parent. They may have a chance at a relationship of some sort depending on the child or no relationship at all depending on the child. The child will also feel a degree of guilt and responsibility even though the child is 100% innocent the guilt is still there.

    The child’s want/need to be loved and wanted is huge if they can get that of the fosters career they may never look for their mothers love, but if they are shipped from home to home and only used by the foster career for money (some foster careers not all) then I feel the child future will be hard.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute William Boyd
    Favourite William Boyd
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:41 PM

    Exactly Colin some people are beyond help, evil will always be evil unfortunately the human race churns out the odd one every now and then, and unfortunately that evil can spawn innocent children.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan McCaffrey
    Favourite Brendan McCaffrey
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 11:14 PM

    Well said

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Noel Kelly
    Favourite Noel Kelly
    Report
    Jan 22nd 2016, 8:06 PM

    Poor kids

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.