Shops that sell cigarettes to under-18s have been warned they will be prosecuted by the North Eastern Health Board after a survey found up to 30 per cent of retailers in Cavan sold a pack of 10 to a child.
In a comprehensive survey of 100 retailers in Cos Cavan and Monaghan the health found 25 per cent of all premises sold cigarettes to the children, with just one salesperson asking for proof of age.
The three children were aged between 10 and 12 and clearly looked well under the legal age of 18.
Retailers who sell cigarettes to anyone under age face fines of up to €2,500 under the Tobacco (Health Promotion and Protection) Act, and the health board says it will not hesitate to prosecute anyone found breaking the law.
"We will be enforcing the legislation in the coming months although there will be no prosecutions as a result of the survey. It was a benchmarking and information exercise," said the assistant CEO, Mr Aidan Browne.
A number of the shops sold the cigarettes to the children even when they were told the cigarettes were for their own use and not for their parents.
Studies show that 60 per cent of smokers take their first puff when they are aged between 10 and 13, and smoking rates among primary and secondary pupils in Ireland remain high by international standards.