The Licensed Vintners' Association has claimed pub trade has dropped by as much as 15 per cent since the introduction of the smoking ban.
LVA Chief executive Donall O'Keeffe made the claim following a report published yesterday that indicated 97 per cent compliance with the ban.
"Figures from the Dublin trade clearly show that on average, pub revenues have been hit by between 12 per cent and 15 per cent," he said.
"While the impact is not totally uniform across Dublin pubs, make no mistake about it, the smoking ban is having a serious financial impact."
Mr Aiden McManus, spokesman for the Restaurant Association of Ireland, yesterday said restaurateurs had feared the ban would damage the industry but claimed the association's members are now generally happy with the measure. He said: "From our own personal knowledge, business has been the same as last year."
However, the LVA which represents almost all of the Dublin-based pubs, said Ireland 's position as the first smoke-free nation has clear implications for jobs and the economy.
"Only time will tell the true impact of the ban on the Dublin trade, early indications are not positive, the ban is hurting," Mr O'Keeffe said.
The report published yesterday by the Office of Tobacco Control showed 97 per cent of the premises inspected under the smoking ban were compliant with the law.
The Republic of Ireland became the first state in the world to outlaw smoking in the workplace when it introduced the ban on March 29th. Norway followed at midnight last night.
