Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I welcome these statements on the 20th anniversary of the smoking ban. There is no doubt that the Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin, deserves great credit for introducing this ban in 2004. He did so, as many of us will recall, in the face of heavy opposition and lobbying from the tobacco industry, publicans and even some members of his own party. There is no doubt that many people are alive in this country today as a result of his political courage. Many more are enjoying a much better standard of living and health status.

It is equally important that we acknowledge the crucial role trade unions played in getting this momentous decision over the line. Mandate, which represents bar workers, campaigned to ensure the smoking ban applied across all workplaces, including bars and clubs. It seems unimaginable now that those workplaces could ever have been excluded from the ban but it was essential they were not. It was also essential to break that strong link between having a few drinks and smoking at the same time.

A major change such as this in public policy could not have happened without political leadership and ambition. I regret to say that both of those qualities are in short supply today, 20 years after that momentous decision. At a time when the use of vapes is rapidly rising, particularly among young people, we have a Government that seems to be sitting on its hands. Vapes may come in brightly coloured packaging and fruity flavours but they still contain nicotine in another guise. It is frankly unforgivable that a whole new generation has been allowed to become hooked on nicotine. The WHO has described vapes as a gateway to tobacco consumption, and that is borne out domestically. For the first time in 25 years, smoking among 15- to 16-year-olds, a key age period for smoking initiation, has increased. When we look at youth vaping, the data is just as alarming. According to a 2023 study commissioned by Foróige, 36% of 13- and 16-year-olds said they currently vape. That is more than one third. Is it any wonder that is the case? Only last December was the sale of vapes to under-18s banned. While welcome, that was the bare minimum one would expect. In fact, most people assumed that was already the law.

It is difficult to fathom why there is such inertia when it comes to addressing this problem. It is certainly a far cry from the type of pioneering public health policy we are honouring today. Instead of action, all we have got is not one but two rounds of public consultation. This comes after a very long process, with which the Minister of State is familiar, that we went through at the Joint Committee on Health. We went through extensive pre-legislative scrutiny and the committee unanimously identified the key steps and measures that needed to be taken to tackle what is becoming an epidemic among young people. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the recommendations from the health committee were ignored. Surely after the first round of consultation, in which 85% of respondents supported a ban on disposable vapes, the necessary legislation could have been produced to deal with single-use vapes. I appreciate there is an EU notification process, but why was that not started immediately after the first public consultation? That public consultation ended eight months ago and the EU only needs six months' notification.

I would also argue there is absolutely no justification for the range of child-friendly flavours available. These are clearly designed to appeal to children and young people. Serious limitations need to be placed on flavours and vapes should be treated the same as cigarettes and tobacco when it comes to packaging. The current situation is ludicrous. These highly addictive products are being displayed like a pick 'n' mix behind the counter at every corner shop, generally just beside chocolate bars and packets of sweets.

The continued influence of commercial actors in shaping health policy is also deeply concerning. For the most recent public consultation on vaping regulation, a large vaping retailer was offering €20 credit to customers who made a submission. I have already flagged this with the Minister as it needs to be considered when analysing those responses.

That brings me to my final point about the commercial determinants of health. I congratulate the Minister of State on his elevation and wish him well in what is an important position. He will be familiar with many of the points I am making as a result of his membership of the health committee. I certainly hope he will remember clearly the discussions we had and the very many presenters who came before the committee to make a strong case for tackling those commercial interests that are so important in respect of the commercial determinants of health. As he will recall, Dr. Norah Campbell, associate professor in the Trinity College Dublin business school, appeared before our committee to discuss this topic. She told the committee that, for far too long, health policy has been focused only on individuals, their responsibilities and their immediate environment. This narrow focus fails to acknowledge the impact of commercial actors on health policy, which, in turn, impacts health outcomes. In other words, there has been a failure to recognise the causes of the causes. I urge the Minister of State to address the impacts of the action that big tobacco and big alcohol have taken in the past. We know that playbook and the Minister of State should not fall foul of these old tactics. How we deal with vapes should be led by the research and the science and not the work of public affairs teams. I wish the Minister of State well in his role.

See this speech in context