Written answers
Thursday, 1 February 2024
Department of Health
Tobacco Control Measures
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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377. To ask the Minister for Health for an indicative timeline for the new public health (tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products) Bill as proposed in the Government's Legislative Programme for 2024, published on10 January 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4801/24]
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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378. To ask the Minister for Health in light of the fact that the issues involved in the proposed new legislation have already been examined and discussed at length during the various enactment stages of the recent Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 which was enacted in December 2023, if he plans to proceed to the pre-legislative phase of the new Bill; if not, if he plans to move directly to the parliamentary stage without pre-legislative scrutiny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4802/24]
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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379. To ask the Minister for Health if he will be engaging with the EU Commission on the proposed new public health (tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products) Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4803/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 377, 378 and 379 together.
I am developing legislation to further regulate tobacco and nicotine inhaling products. The public consultation for this purpose closed on January 5th 2024. The content of the proposed legislation will be guided by our consultation as well as by evidence reviews, legal advice and regulatory impact assessment to ensure that any regulation is achievable and effective. This process is being further informed by engagement with other EU Member States, Government Departments and the HSE.
The timeframe for publication of the General Scheme of the Bill and considerations regarding pre-legislative scrutiny will be determined by the final proposed legislative measures.
The draft legislation will require notification at EU level under the Technical Standards Directive (Directive 2015/1535). In the EU context, it is also expected that the Commission will publish a proposal for a revised Tobacco Products Directive this year. It is as yet unknown how the revised Directive might impact possible domestic measures and we will continue to engage with that process via the EU Expert Group on Tobacco Policy.
Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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380. To ask the Minister for Health how many submissions were received during the public consultation process for the public health (tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products) Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4804/24]
Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Public Consultation on Further Regulation of Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products, which ran for six weeks and closed on January 5th 2024, received 15,822 submissions.
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