President Michael D Higgins has signed laws requiring cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging.

The new laws - The Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014  - were signed at Áras an Úachtaráin this afternoon, after the mandatory seven-day period.

The rules will now take effect on a date to be decided by the Minister for Health.

Tobacco companies have argued the laws will deny them the right to use their own trademarks on their packets, and have threatened legal action.