Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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915. To ask the Minister for Health if her Department has fully examined the Regulatory Impact Assessment of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2024, which warns of the potential for smokers to relapse if vape flavours are banned; if she can provide any estimate of the number of smokers that are expected to relapse; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34498/25]

Noel McCarthy (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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916. To ask the Minister for Health if she has considered the impact the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2024 will have on speciality vape shops, which will be forced to close if all vape flavours are banned; if she has quantified the burden that the point-of-sale display ban for vapes will have on small retailers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34499/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 915 and 916 together.

The Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) for the Public Health (Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2024 was conducted by my Department. The purpose of the RIA is to describe the policy context and objectives, before identifying possible ways to achieve the objectives and the impacts of such responses.

The RIA examines the current evidence regarding the individual and population-level public health impact of vaping. It also sets out the possible impact of measures on vaping and smoking behaviour, as well as the impact on businesses. An SME test for the Bill was published as an appendix to the RIA.

This analysis has informed the final proposed measures in the Public Health (Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill. The proposals 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 provisions to monitor the impact of any restrictions on vaping and smoking among both young people and adults. It also includes provisions to amend the list of allowed flavours as new evidence presents.

The Bill is also proposed in the context of significant increases in stop smoking support via the HSE Quit Service since 2022. This includes free universal provision of Nicotine Replacement Therapies, as well as behavioural support through a range of pathways and more than double the number of clinics, to support those quitting smoking, and those looking for support to avoid relapse to smoking.

The Bill is currently being drafted, and if approved by Government it will be put to the members of the Oireachtas for consideration.