The price of a pack of 20 cigarettes rose 50 euro cents to EUR 11 (USD 12.14), the fifth increase in as many years, as the government pursues its goal to make the country smoke-free by 2025, the Irish Examiner reported.

Hiking the excise duty on cigarettes, the government chose not to boost tax on alcohol, the Examiner said. By 2025, Ireland intends to have reduced its smoking rate to below 5 per cent of the adult population.