Written answers
Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Department of Health
Health Strategies
Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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613. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the National Clinical Programme for ADHD in adults; how many ADHD clinics have been opened; when the Programme is set to be fully implemented; the length of the waiting lists in the operational clinics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14672/23]
Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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614. To ask the Minister for Health the number of rental baby monitor units for deaf parents his Department owns; the cost of each unit; the make and models of the units; and if a cost-based analysis has been undertaken to examine if it would be more productive for his Department to buy the units as opposed to leasing them. [14677/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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615. To ask the Minister for Health the number of retail outlets registered to sell tobacco on the National Register of Tobacco retailers in 2022 and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14687/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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616. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated revenue that would be raised annually if an annual €500 tobacco retailer licence fee per retail outlet was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14688/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill will provide for the introduction of a licensing system for the retail sale of tobacco products. An annual licence will be required for each outlet where tobacco products are sold. The proposed annual fee is yet to be determined.
It is not possible to estimate the number of retail outlets that would opt to sell or continue to sell tobacco products following the introduction of a requirement for an annual licence and fee.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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617. To ask the Minister for Health the level of funding provided for tobacco cessation services from 2011 to 2022, and to date in 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14689/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy, as soon as possible.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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618. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a campaign by an alliance of organisations seeking an increase in the legal age of sale of all forms of tobacco, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21 years of age, commonly known as tobacco 21; if he is in favour of Ireland introducing tobacco 21 as a policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14690/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the campaign to increase the minimum age to purchase tobacco to 21 years. I welcome this engagement from civil society and I know that the strong alliance between civil society and Government is the reason that Ireland has been notably successful and has a global reputation as a pioneer in tobacco control.
I understand that at least eleven countries have already increased their legal age of sale of tobacco to 21 with the U.S. introducing it at a federal level in December 2019. I look forward to the evidence from those interventions. My Department continues to examine all policy options, including those relating to age of purchase, which would reduce the enormous, and entirely preventable, toll of disease and death from tobacco smoking in our country.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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619. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated revenue that would be raised annually if an annual €50 electronic cigarette retailer licence fee per retail outlet was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14692/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill will provide for the introduction of a licensing system for the retail sale of nicotine inhaling products such as electronic cigarettes. An annual licence will be required for each outlet where nicotine inhaling products are sold. The proposed annual fee is yet to be determined.
The licensing system will, for the first time, provide information on the number of retailers currently selling electronic cigarettes across the country. It is not possible to estimate the number of retail outlets that would opt to sell or continue to sell nicotine inhaling products following the introduction of a requirement for an annual licence and fee.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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620. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department have in place or intend to put in place regulations to prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes from mobile phone shops including shops selling mobile phones second hand along with phone cases; if inspections are carried out on these premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14694/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill will require that all retailers engaged in the sale of electronic cigarettes must obtain a licence for their retail sale. It will be an offence to sell these products without a licence. The Bill will prohibit the sale of electronic cigarettes to and by persons under 18 years of age. It will also prohibit the sale of electronic cigarettes from temporary or mobile units, at events intended for children and from self-service vending machines. The Environmental Health Service of the HSE are responsible for the enforcement of tobacco control legislation and will be responsible for enforcement of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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621. To ask the Minister for Health the estimated annual cost of smoking to the State in terms of health spending; if his Department will be conducting an updated 2023 report assessing the economic cost of smoking, following on from the 2016 ICF international report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14696/23]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The most recent study conducted on behalf of my Department on the economic cost of smoking in Ireland, "A detailed assessment of the economic cost of smoking in Ireland" was carried out in 2016 by ICF International (UK) in association with DKM Economic Consultants (Ireland).
The study estimated public healthcare costs from smoking to be €506 million per year. This included hospital inpatient admissions, day cases, outpatient appointments, emergency department attendances, primary care and hospital transportation costs. It also included €40 million in State spending on formal domiciliary care.
The study estimated the total cost of smoking to be €10.6 billion per year, which included lost productivity, loss of welfare, fire and litter-related costs. There are no plans to conduct an updated report at this time.
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