Ireland will be the first country in the EU to introduce the measure
The Health Minister says raising the legal age to buy cigarettes is a "landmark" decision.
Today, ministers approved a proposal to ban under 21s from buying tobacco.
Ireland will be the first country in the EU to introduce the measure - as the government aims to bring the number of adults smoking down to 5 per cent.
There'll be no requirement for people selling cigarettes to be 21 - despite plans to increase the age at which they can be bought.
Minister Stephen Donnelly says they had considered targetting the sellers rather than the smokers, but it wasn't feasible.

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