DRIVERS who smoke in their cars in the company of children will face prosecution from New Year’s Day, independent.ie can reveal.

Children’s Minister James Reilly and Health Minister Leo Varadkar will tomorrow announce the commencement of the new law from January 1, government sources have said.

The legislation which will make it illegal for people to smoke in vehicles with children present was brought by senators Mark Daly, Jillian van Turnhout and John Crown.

The bill was unanimously passed in the Dáil last Christmas - but gardaí sought time to ensure its proper application.

Both ministers will announce details of the new law at a press conference at Government Buildings on Thursday.

The move comes as the State continues to defend in the courts its decision to introduce plain cigarette packets. The packets will be on the shelves in 2017, unless the move is scuppered by a legal challenge.

Online Editors