A total of 278 people have been convicted for smoking in an enclosed workplace, selling tobacco to minors, and similar offences, since the workplace smoking ban was implemented in March 2004.

There were 25 convictions so far this year under the Public Health (Tobacco) Act , according to figures released by the HSE today.

From January to September, 15 of these had to do with smoking in pubs, nightclubs and hotels.

These were violations of Section 47 of the Tobacco Act, which makes it illegal to smoke in an enclosed workplace, and made Ireland the first country to introduce such a ban, a decade ago.