Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Freeman on the issue of mental health. I would be very happy to have a debate on it in this House. It was only last week that it was requested, in fairness. I am sure the Minister of State's diary has to be checked but I am sure, for the reasons outlined by my colleague, Senator Reilly, she will not have any difficulty coming to the House to explain the position. I agree with the Senator that this must be discussed urgently.

I wish to raise the issue of vaping. I am no fan of smoking, nor am I a fan of vaping, besides the fact that I believe it looks a bit ridiculous. I believed it could be a gateway to smoking for some younger people. I have misgivings about the content of the products. We are really just starting to discover what is in vaping products. The Public Health England review found that vaping is approximately 95% safer than smoking, based on the best information available to date. According to Vape Business Ireland, 99% of those who vape are ex-smokers. Among those who have successfully quit smoking, 32% used vaping products. This is a good indicator of how useful it can be. Therefore, it is fair to conclude, contrary to the notion that vaping is a gateway to smoking, which I believed, that it is in reality proving to be a successful aid to smokers. I raise this because the Government needs to clarify its position on vaping. If vaping is continually placed in the same category as cigarette smoking and regulated as such, its benefits will not be realised. It is imperative that we do everything we can to tackle smoking. We have been very successful to date. Clearly, however, placing vaping products in the same group as cigarettes is not helpful. While it is not ideal to have people vaping, it represents a much better option. I would be grateful for clarification from the Minister on the Department's position on it.