Health Minister Simon Harris has signed into law an EU directive that will see menthol cigarettes banned.

The European Court of Justice has rejected a challenge to laws that could see plain packaging introduced on cigarettes.

The European Court of Justice has cleared the way for plain packaging laws for tobacco products in Ireland.

The European Court of Justice will rule today on whether Ireland can go ahead with plain packaging laws for cigarettes.

A single tobacco company employed 161 lobbyists and spent millions of euro in an “unprecedented” attempt to shoot down a key EU directive behind Ireland’s groundbreaking plain-packaging cigarette laws.

Children’s Minister James Reilly addressed the World Conference on Tobacco or Health in Abu Dhabi on the battle for cigarette plain packaging legislation in Ireland and Europe

Laws on the plain packaging of cigarettes have been passed by the Oireachtas.

Ten leading health campaign groups representing doctors and people suffering from cancer, heart disease and other life-threatening conditions have written to Cabinet urging them not to scrap the plain packaging anti-smoking plans.

Tobacco firms claim the Government's push for plain cigarette packets will not work – and will cost Ireland jobs.