Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for tabling the amendment, which is a prohibition on the advertisement of nicotine inhaling products in the cinema. It is designed to remove the exemption for films that are directed at persons over 18 years of age. The prohibition was modelled on a similar provision in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, which contains an exemption for films classified for persons over 18. At this time the evidence does not suggest that nicotine inhaling products are more harmful to health than alcohol, although obviously that is something we will keep under very close review.

In addition, I am absolutely determined to eliminate the uptake of nicotine inhaling products by children and minors, those under 18. I recognise that some adults use e-cigarettes to quit smoking. Our recently published survey shows some useful information on that. If I were to accept this amendment, it would require notification to the European Union under the technical standards directive, which would incur a three-month delay, or possibly a six-month delay, to the enactment of the Bill.

What I would say to the two Senators who have tabled the amendment is that I applaud the direction of travel they are going in, which is to restrict advertising on these products. We all know that plenty of people under 18 attend movies that are rated over 18. I fully appreciate the intent of the Senators but what we do not want to do is delay the Bill for three months or six months, based on the European processes. We have opened a public consultation on all aspects of this measure. I will return with a second Bill next year and that might be somewhere this measure could be looked at.