Ireland a step closer to being tobacco-free

THE Government is set to step up measures to move Ireland closer to becoming a tobacco-free society, it emerged yesterday.

Speaking at the launch of the OTC annual report for 2005 yesterday, Minister of State at the Department of Health, Sean Power said the Government would launch a consultation process with the aim of enacting further provisions of the Public Health (Tobacco) Acts.

Many of the provisions could be introduced by the end of the year, including the possibility of a ban on the sale of packs fewer than 20 cigarettes.