Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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25. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the alarming rate of consumption of E-cigarettes and also the rate of expansion of new E-cigarette retail outlets that is occurring here, and whilst also understanding the potentially serious harm being done by these mentioned items, when he will bring the new Public Health (Retail Licensing of Tobacco Products) Bill before Dáil Éireann for debate, which will seek to introduce a much needed licensing system for E-cigarettes here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20586/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy knows, although e-cigarettes and other non-medicinal nicotine delivery systems do not contain tobacco, they do contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance. I am aware that there has been a significant rise in their popularity in the past number of years. In order to ensure that these products are sold in a responsible manner and to protect children, Government has approved the drafting of legislation in relation to the sale of tobacco products and non-medicinal nicotine delivery systems. My Department is currently drafting the General Scheme of a Bill which includes provisions for the licensing system and the prohibition of the sale of non-medicinal nicotine delivery systems by and to persons under the age of 18 years. I expect that the General Scheme will be published this year.

In addition to this legislation, my Department is working in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General to put measures in place to transpose the new Tobacco Products Directive into Irish law by the 20th May 2016 deadline. The revised Directive regulates a number of aspects of e-cigarettes, including mandatory safety and quality requirements, labelling and packaging, ingredients and emissions, and stricter rules on advertising and monitoring of marketing developments.

My Department will continue to monitor existing and emerging evidence on the potential harms and the potential benefits of these products, so as to inform decisions around any future additional regulation in this area.