European Court to rule on plain packaging for cigarettes in Ireland

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

Tobacco giants Philip Morris and British American Tobacco took proceedings to the ECJ over an EU directive which would see health warnings on two thirds of tobacco packaging.

The Children's Minister James Reilly wants to go one step further in Ireland and ban tobacco branding on packets altogether.

The ECJ will issue a preliminary ruling today.