Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank colleagues across the House for their cross-party support on this matter. I thank the Minister of State for his positive response. I also thank the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. There are one or two things in the Minister of State's response that we are looking for. Maybe he could bring them back to the Minister for Health to consider when the legislation is being drafted. First, vaping should be banned indoors in the workplace but also indoors in public places. The Minister of State mentioned cinemas and hospitals but there are many other indoor places where people vape on an everyday basis. I think there has to be a blanket ban on vaping indoors, certainly in terms of looking at people's health. The ban on smoking in cars and other electronically propelled vehicles carrying children, as mentioned in the health Bill, should be extended to vaping as well. I agree with my colleague Senator Conway that it will be proven down the road that this has harmful effects. While the research is being carried out, it is really important that we have a blanket ban.

The Minister of State mentioned that the business owner will be responsible and not the person who is under 18 years of age. I believe that both should be held responsible. At the moment, the way the legislation is structured means that a business owner who has a sign up saying that people cannot vape inside is not covered or protected. If I was vaping inside your premises and you came out and told me to stop, legally you do not have a standing. I think we have to protect the business owner as well. I think it is really important because many business owners have mentioned to me that they are being laughed at by people when they tell them to stop vaping indoors.Business owners have to be protected as much as under 18-year-olds. The Minister of State is proposing protecting under 18-year-olds but the point is that they will have chosen to go in and buy the vape product. We have to strike a balance. I ask that Minister of State take that message back to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly.