Ministers are to begin a 12-week consultation on raising the age of smoking to 18.
Employment and Learning head Sir Reg Empey said the move had been decided following an Executive meeting which lasted almost four hours.
Decision makers are examining more restrictive proposals due in Scotland next month.
Sir Reg said: "It brings us into line with the Republic and Britain. Everyone understands that there will be enforcement issues, how to tell the difference in the age. It will go out for consultation."
He added that much of the meeting was spent agreeing a timetable for finalising departmental budgets for next year.
"At the end of the day it really matters to people because we have to maximise the money we can get and also we have to ensure that we have a process in place that is compatible with what is happening in London," he said.
The Executive also discussed the fatal stabbing of west Belfast greengrocer Harry Holland, 65, earlier this week. He was attacked with a screwdriver. There was an update on efforts to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease here.
Also on the agenda was organised dog fighting and screening measures to identify young people at risk of fatal heart disease.
Earlier this week the funeral was held of Patrick Devlin (13) who died on the GAA field in Ardboe, Co Tyrone. There were four deaths within a week in Ireland, two in Tyrone and two in Co Westmeath.