The Advanced Cosmetic Surgery (ACS) centre has employed two new surgeons specifically to deal with the expected demand, while the Harley Medical Group has increased its surgeon availability and operating time to cater for extra customers.

According to ACS owner Halina Ashdown-Sheils, hundreds of Irish women and men have already prebooked at the clinic for Gastric Banding, which helped Sharon Osbourne slim down from a size 20.

The procedure costs 10,000 from ACS. Liposculpture . . . a fat-removal treatment performed under a local anaesthetic . . . is also expected to be a big hit with SSIA holders, costing at least 4,000. The staple treatments of breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, and liposuction remain popular at both clinics.

Meanwhile, the country's art galleries are also steeling themselves for an influx of new collectors.

Suzanne Macdougald, owner of the Solomon Gallery in Dublin, said that art is an excellent choice for SSIA investment. Definitely, spend the money on paintings or sculptures, " she said. ?Provided you take good advice from a professional gallery or auction house, you really can't go too wrong. The market is very buoyant and very healthy at the moment."

Macdougald said that most galleries would be happy to give free advice on potential investment opportunities. ?I would say always try to buy original prints, and buy an artist with a good record, " she said.

However, Josephine Kelliher, owner of the Rubicon Gallery in Dublin, encourages young buyers to buy young artists. ?The investment side of art works very much the same as stocks and shares, " she said. ?The more you invest, the lower the risk is, and vice-versa.

You would have to spend 10,000 to be at the very beginning of the safe side of investment. But you can get great new artist prints for as little as 200." Kelliher advises prospective buyers to carefully research their artist before committing to a piece of work. ?Don't walk in off the street when you've half-an-hour to spare and spend 5,000 on the first piece of art that you like, " she said.

Some of the artists recommended by the Rubicon Gallery include Stephen Brandes, Blaise Drummond, Nick Miller and Eithne Jordan.