Figures from the Office of Tobacco Control’s (OTC) 2007 Annual Report show continuing high levels of compliance with the smoke-free workplace legislation. 

Published on 12 May, the report shows that 95 per cent of workplaces were in compliance with the legislation in 2007. 28,982 inspections were carried out by Environmental Health Officers.
Only 43 cases for offences under the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts were brought in 2007 of which 38 were in respect of licensed premises, four related to taxi companies and one was in relation to a public building.
A total of 49 convictions were obtained, while the Probation of Offenders Act was applied in one case. Twenty-nine of the convictions related to pubs and 11 of these related to outdoor smoking areas that failed to comply with the legislation. (pi)