Government approval was received on 28 May 2013 to begin the process of introducing standardised packaging of tobacco products in Ireland. An interdepartmental Steering Group on Standardised Packaging has been established to oversee the implementation of a project plan. The group has met twice to date.
In line with the Regulatory Impact Assessment Guidelines published by the Department of the Taoiseach, my Department will be undertaking a Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) on the proposed legislation for the introduction of standardised packaging for tobacco products. Consultation with all relevant stakeholders is an integral part of the RIA process, which will also consider the costs, benefits and impacts of this proposal.
The Department of Health’s policy on smoking is to promote and subsequently move toward a tobacco free society. Ireland’s current policy document, Tobacco Free Ireland, which I launched on 3 October 2013, sets a target for Ireland to be tobacco free (i.e. with a prevalence rate of less than 5%) by 2025. The two key themes underpinning the report are protecting children and the denormalisation of smoking.
