Ireland
In Ireland, overall responsibility for the health care system lies with the Government, exercised through the Department of Health, under the direction of the Minister of Health. The Irish health care system remains predominantly tax funded. Ireland has recently begun the process of introducing plain packaging of tobacco products, putting it on track to possibly being the first country in the WHO European Region to introduce plain packaging.
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Ireland leads the way on tobacco cessation programmes
As a recognized global leader in tobacco control, Ireland has worked hard to develop comprehensive treatment for tobacco dependence. The country’s efforts are underpinned by ambitious goals: it aims to be tobacco free by 2025 with a smoking prevalence equal to or lower than 5%.
