The organisation representing cigarette machine vendors is to hold its annual general meeting outside the Republic to enable its members to smoke during the event.
The annual conference of the Irish Cigarette Machine Operators' Association, which represents 120 vending machine businesses, will hold its annual conference in Northern Ireland and has chosen Newry, Co Down, as the venue for its gathering in May.
Announcing its decision, Mr Gerry Lawlor, its president, claimed that the smoking ban, due to come into force on March 29th, would have an impact on the conference industry in the State.
"Our a.g.m., held annually, means a direct loss in the Republic in the region of €20,000 for the conference itself."
Mr Lawlor said that the European Tobacco Wholesalers' Association has also cancelled a major conference planned for Dublin later this year because of the imminent ban.
This event would have brought over 1,000 delegates to Dublin, he said.
"Instead, they and their money will go elsewhere. It is clear that with the introduction of this ban all sectors of our economy will be hit and hit hard."
The vendors are also importing one million herbal cigarettes which will arrive in Ireland next Monday.
The herbal cigarettes, which are exempt under the smoking ban, will be available in vending machines in pubs and other locations, costing between 4.50 and 5.00 per pack of 20.
Last year, the Department of Health confirmed that herbal cigarettes are not subject to the tobacco smoke ban, which comes into effect in less than a fortnight's time.
This is despite the fact that herbal cigarette smoke is also a carcinogen, and herbal cigarettes contain similar levels of tar to ordinary cigarettes.
However, a spokesman for the Department at the time said it did not expect the product would be popular, as they had been available through pharmacies for some time as a quitting aid.