Cabinet urged to keep plain packaging plans

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.

The letter, seen by the Irish Examiner, insists Children’s Minister Dr James Reilly is right to be pushing through the wide-reaching policy, insisting the measures are “absolutely justified and necessary”.

The two-page correspondence was sent to Taoiseach Enda Kenny and all members of Cabinet last night in response to claims from business groups the initiative will cost jobs and stall the economy.