Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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837. To ask the Minister for Health if she has had regard to the matter of banning of single-use lithium battery-based nicotine delivery products; if she is aware of the fire risk, as well as public health risk posed by such products; if her officials have had regard to Parliamentary Question No. 12 of 21 May 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34159/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The primary focus of policy and action in relation to e-cigarettes is to reduce uptake by children and young people.

The proposed measures in the Public Health (Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill take into consideration the population-level impact of vaping and the need for a high level of health protection for young people. The proposals include a review structure to monitor the impact of any restrictions on e-cigarette use and smoking among both young people and adults, as well as provisions to amend the list of allowed flavours as new evidence presents.

The Bill will contain a range of measures to reduce youth use of nicotine inhaling products such as vapes. This includes:

- a ban on point-of-sale display and advertising of these products in most shops,

- restrictions on the colours and imagery used on nicotine inhaling products and their packaging,

- a ban on devices resembling toys or games,

- restrictions on flavours for sale and requirements for only basic flavour names to be used, and

- a complete ban on disposable vapes.

Once completed, the draft legislation will require notification at EU level under the Technical Standards Directive (Directive 2015/1535).

Ultimately, a ban on single-use vapes provides the best remedy for the issues caused by the incorrect disposal of these materials.