Martin: Taoiseach must fight tobacco lobbyists

The Government has been urged to mount a counter campaign to resist the mounting pressure and lobbying to drop its radical plan to outlaw tobacco branding on cigarette packets.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been called upon to lead the campaign to introduce plain packaging on packets in a bid to reduce the numbers of smokers.

The call from Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin comes after the Irish Examiner revealed the growing efforts by industry and business groups to stop the anti-smoking measure.