According to a new study air quality has improved in bars since smoking was banned in Irish pubs in March 2004 and pub workers are now exposed to far fewer cancer-causing substances.
The smoking ban has reduced air pollution in pubs and as a result improved bar-workers' health.
Ireland is the first country to impose a nationwide ban.
A team of scientists from the <<>> in Dublin, conducted a study of environmental tobacco smoke exposure in 42 Dublin pubs and also tested 73 bar workers who volunteered to take part in the study.
The workers were all given lung function tests before the ban came in and a year later.
The researchers found that Irish workers today were being exposed to tobacco smoke for an average of 25 minutes a week, compared to 40 hours before - a 99 percent decline and the level of air pollution in pubs has declined 83 percent, and the level of airborne carcinogens is down 80 percent and workers' lung function also improved.
Traffic-generated pollution is now the major remaining threat to respiratory health.
Smoking bans are already in place in Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland will follow suit on 30 April, with England's ban coming into force on 1 July.
Lead researcher Dr. Luke Clancy says the results confirm that the approach of a total ban on smoking in the workplace is successful in reducing the exposure of workers to particles.