Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)

On 10 September 2024, the Cabinet in the previous Government agreed to a Bill that would provide for further regulation of nicotine inhaling products, particularly with regard to a ban on disposable vapes and restrictions on advertising, colours, flavours and imagery used on nicotine inhaling products. It is also in the programme for Government. This is a public health emergency. It has been an active campaign by Wexford Comhairle na nÓg since 2023. In 2022, two students from FCJ Secondary School in Bunclody, Leanne Mahon and Aimée Farrell, came to Leinster House to present on this issue. The Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland recently did a survey of young people which found that 76% of those taking up vaping had never smoked a cigarette before they used vapes. This is a public health emergency. I really need to know when this legislation will be brought before the House. In addition, given that so many universities and schools have become tobacco-free campuses, perhaps the Taoiseach and the Ceann Comhairle might agree to make Leinster House a tobacco-free campus.

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