Ireland became the second country after Australia to pass legislation standardising colour and limiting branding on tobacco product packaging following a vote by the upper house Seanad, The Irish Times said.

Standardised packaging for cigarettes would conform to new EU packaging rules that increase the size of warning labels, but the bill would mandate a matt finish in a colour to be selected by the health minister. Only the cigarette brand with variant may be printed on the pack; on the top, bottom and front face. The minister would have authoritiy to dictate font and placement. Expected implementation date is 20 May, 2017.
Tobacco companies have said they would mount a legal challenge to the bill, which has been sent to President Michael Higgins to be signed into law.