Plans to introduce plain packaging for tobacco products next year have been thrown into serious doubt as a result of the length of time it has taken to form the new Government.
In the first instance of its kind, the Department of Health has admitted that a major government policy has stalled as a direct result of the "unforeseen and unusual" political impasse.
Former Children's Minister James Reilly had pledged to ensure that plain tobacco products would be on the shelves in 2017 - despite major opposition from the tobacco industry and several EU member states.
However, the Irish Independent has learned that the landmark legislation is facing significant delays in a development that is set to be seized upon by some of the world's largest tobacco firms.
And in a significant admission, the department has directly blamed the stalling of the legislation on the 70-day political impasse that preceded the formation of the Fine Gael-Independents partnership government.
Source: Niall O'Connor, Irish Independent, 17/05/16