Minister for Children and Youth Affairs James Reilly, the health minister until last July, ruled out changes to tobacco plain packaging legislation expected to go back to parliament on 16 Feb, the Herald reported.

Reilly reportedly told the Herald opposition from unnamed other European Union countries to Ireland’s plan for uniform packaging for cigarettes and RYO has been unprecedented. However the news site reported plain packs will go back to the Oireachtas, the combined houses of parliament, in February with expectations it would be signed into law before the summer recess.