Government examining plans to increase legal age to buy cigarettes to 21

The legal age for buying cigarettes in Ireland could increase from 18 to 21 under new plans being considered by Government.

He said: “My own belief is we should. We have legislation which we're preparing should it be something that Government wants to do.“It's something that I discussed with Dr Holohan when he was the Chief Medical Officer and with Professor Smith. “Whilst it would be a move from 18 to 21, really it's a public health measure looked at protecting those who were, you know, 15, 16, 17 years of age.”

As he posed with a group of 21-year-old students at Government Buildings, he noted that many of them were newborns when the ban was introduced.“When I grew up, smoking in our kitchen was habitual. My mother in particular and her neighbours would come in on a Friday evening or whatever and they'd be smoking away. That was the norm.

Minister Donnelly explained: “We’re also bringing in testing for people selling cigarettes or selling vapes to people under the age of 18.

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