Ann Graves (Dublin Fingal East, Sinn Fein)

Our young people have to be given the best opportunity we can offer them. Although we cannot dictate to or lecture them, we can, of course, introduce legislation that will protect them and help them make positive decisions on their health and well-being. It would be hypocritical of me to stand up here and lecture anybody - I was that smoker; I was that vaper - but we must not bury our heads in the sand and pretend the challenges and consequences for young people will simply go away.

People are rightly very concerned about the prevalence of vaping and smoking among our younger people. According to the Institute of Public Health, 39% of 15- and 16-year-olds, which is nearly four in every ten, have tried vapes, and almost 18% of them are regular users. The need for legislation has never been more urgent. Legislation can work. Between the ban on indoor smoking in 2004 and 2023, the smoking rate in Ireland decreased from 27% to 18%. This represents approximately 800,000 fewer smokers and a substantial reduction in overall tobacco consumption. This decrease can be attributed to the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004, which banned smoking in workplaces, bars and restaurants, along with ongoing public health measures to combat smoking. This has benefited the health and well-being of our population greatly.

Since 2000, rates of nicotine smoking among young people in Ireland have significantly decreased, but unfortunately recent evidence shows there has been an increase in overall nicotine use, particularly since 2019. This was clearly driven by the rise in e-cigarettes and dual tobacco and e-cigarette use among those aged between 15 and 24. Key surveys like that of Health Behaviour in School-aged Children and the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs show a welcome decline between 1998 and 2018.

While I would of course welcome legislation, this is an issue on which we have had years of statements from several Ministers. The fact the Government is filling time with statements instead of real action and real legislation is concerning. The lack of legislation is an indictment of the Government's laissez-faire approach to our young people's health. It is time that the Government brought forward robust and future-proof legislation on nicotine products. We are already behind the curve on this. The Government has yet to address the serious issues of disposable vapes and nicotine products. HHC vapes have been covered. We have taken a very positive approach. I urge the Minister of State to seize the opportunity to put the legislation in place as soon as possible.

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