Proposed legislation to increase the legal age for buying cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21 is "significant", Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will seek Cabinet approval this week for the legislation to increase the legal age by three years.
The bill will be designed so that it does not affect those who are between the ages of 18 and 21 and who are currently legally entitled to be sold tobacco products.
The prohibition on the retail sale of tobacco products will not apply to this cohort for a "wash through" period.
Mr Martin said that while there has been progress in reducing the number of young people smoking over the past 20 years, this was an opportunity "to press home the possibilities of really eliminating smoking among younger generations into the future".
Plan to raise smoking age to 21 'significant' - Tánaiste
Proposed legislation to increase the legal age for buying cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21 is "significant", Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said.