More than eight in ten people in Ireland want to permanently ban children from buying tobacco.
New research found 83pc of adults surveyed in the Republic support legislation prohibiting the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
The proposed measures would mean that the legal age for buying tobacco increases by one year every year, eventually putting it permanently out of reach for younger generations.
Pressure on the Government is mounting to introduce a lifetime ban after similar legislation is being enforced across the border.
The legislation is due to come into effect in Northern Ireland next year, following its passage in the UK. READ MORE