Teresa Costello (Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: “Seanad Éireann resolves that the Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill 2025 be deemed to be read a second time this day 18 months, to allow sufficient time for examination of evidence of public health concerns relating to such substances, and scrutiny between now and then by officials in the Department of Health in conjunction with the proposing Senators.”

Fianna Fáil welcomes the discussion on this issue. I thank Senator Keogan for bringing this before the House. In our election manifesto Fianna Fáil pledged to introduce restrictions on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks, including a ban on their sale to children. We remain committed to that objective and we are pleased the conversation is moving forward in a constructive and meaningful way. Fianna Fáil supports the central purpose of the Bill, which is to prohibit the sale, advertisement and promotion of stimulant drinks to persons under the age of 18.

As legislators , we have a duty to protect public health and, in particular, the health and well-being of our children. Consumption of energy drinks has been steadily increasing in Ireland. The 2024 evaluation of the sugar-sweetened drinks tax reported a jump from 30 million l in 2020 to 40 million l in 2023. These drinks now represent 10% of all carbonated drink consumption in this country. While sugar levels have shown some reduction recently, the high levels of caffeine and other stimulants such as taurine continue to raise significant public health concerns. Research, including the 2016 Safe Food Review, has highlighted the need for education, data gathering and voluntary restrictions on sales to minors but clearly voluntary measures are no longer sufficient. Children and teenagers are still being exposed both directly and through advertising to products that can have harmful health effects. Other EU countries have acted. Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and, most recently, Hungary, have banned the sale of energy drinks to minors.

What struck me most while researching this issue was the serious impact energy drinks can have on both mental and dental health in young people. One article I read highlighted how caffeine, acting as a stimulant to increase alertness, combines with high sugar levels to create a sudden jolt of energy. This jolt often leads to side effects such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, jitteriness and insomnia and is quickly followed by a crash. According to health professionals, regular consumption can cause adolescents to become dependent on that high, creating a difficult cycle to break, with withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, low mood or even depression. On the dental side, despite some reduction in sugar, energy drinks are still highly acidic, contributing to acid erosion of teeth. The Oral Health Foundation points out that caffeine also causes dry mouth by reducing saliva, which plays a key role in protecting the teeth. That means children who regularly drink these products are at high risk of serious dental problems and not just cavities.

Focusing on caffeine specifically, we know it increases anxiety, disrupts sleep, raises blood pressure, causes acid reflux and can even be toxic in high doses. It is clear that these drinks are not harmless pick-me-ups. They are potent stimulants and their effects on children and adolescents deserve far more scrutiny. We understand that under EU Regulation No. 1169/2011, products containing more than 150 mg of caffeine per litre already must carry specific health warnings but labelling alone is not enough. This Bill seeks to go further to regulate access and to reduce the exposure of children to targeted advertising. We are also in an era when sugar is often seen as public enemy number one. Sugar-free drinks, sweetened with artificial sweeteners and synthetic additives promise guilt-free sweetness. The rise of sweeteners is, in part, a sign of the spectacular success of sugar taxes, which have been introduced in more than 40 countries since 2010. Today, even sugar-free stimulant drinks dominate the shelves. There are serious concerns about the sugar-free stimulant drinks. Health experts warn that these beverages can impact cardiovascular health, dental health and may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome, a condition that affects how the body processes sugar and fat.The problem is that we do not have long-term studies to truly understand how damaging sugar-free energy drinks can be, but we have some early clues. A 2021 study on wild mice found that both regular and sugar-free stimulant drinks negatively impacted the blood-brain barrier and caused brain inflammation by disrupting blood pressure and blood sugar levels. What stood out was that the sugar-free versions produced worse outcomes.

In another study, the same team of researchers examined the connection between stimulant drinks and metabolic syndrome. The results showed both regular and sugar-free stimulant drinks increase the chances of metabolic syndrome, with insulin resistance being the key factor. These findings suggest that even without sugar these drinks can have a harmful impact on how one's body regulates energy and fat. We need more human research but these findings are concerning enough to make anybody think twice about reaching for a sugar-free stimulant drink.

Fianna Fáil supports the intent behind this legislation and looks forward to working constructively with all Members and the Minister to ensure evidence-based, proportionate and effective public health policy can be delivered in this area.