The Irish Hospitality Industry Alliance (IHIA) has raised concerns over the make-up of a committee established to assist with the implementation of the smoking ban.
The National Implementation Committee was established by the Department of Health to assist with implementation of the regulations in the ban on smoking in the workplace.
The committee, which includes representatives of the Office of Tobacco Control, the Health and Safety Authority, environmental health officers, health board representatives and the Department of Health, will publish guidelines on implementation next month.
A spokesperson for the IHIA told ireland.comthat no one from the hospitality industry or indeed any representatives of employers were on the implementation committee.
The IHIA also stated that it will consider its legal position when the National Implementation Committee makes its recommendations on implementation next month.
The IHIA say that as legal lobby group registered with the Standards in Public Office Commission, they should have been consulted in regard to implementation of the ban and may make a legal challenge on that basis.
The group accused the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, of "confrontation rather than consultation" over the issue of the ban on smoking in the workplace due to come into effect on January 26th, 2004.