Tomorrow's ardfheis in Co Kerry takes place in one of the hot-beds of opposition to the upcoming pub and workplace smoking ban
The venue has been the focal point of the vintners' campaign against the ban, with pub-owners there vowing to ignore the new law.
Some landlords have also made it clear they will leave the 5,000 delegates in no doubt of their depth of their resistance to a proposal drafted in a bid to beat the menace of passive smoking - and could even refuse to serve them.
For his part, though, Mr Ahern, is unlikely to back away from the concept, despite calls for consideration of compromise solutions.
This could cause problems tomorrow afternoon during the two hours break pencilled in so delegates can watch the vital Euro 2004 soccer qualifier against Switzerland, which will be beamed to the conference live from Basel.