Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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915. To ask the Minister for Health the number of enforcement actions that have been taken by the HSE’s National Environmental Health Service in relation to the illegal sale or distribution of vapes and e-cigarettes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39037/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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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.

Erin McGreehan (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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916. To ask the Minister for Health if she will consider introducing a ban on the sale of nicotine pouches, which are currently unregulated, in order to protect public health; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39038/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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My current legislative priority is the comprehensive regulation of nicotine inhaling products addressing point of sale display, the appearance of these devices, packaging, flavours and a ban on disposable vapes. Ireland is one of several EU countries that are moving ahead with domestic legislation on these products in the absence of EU-wide regulation which would be more effective, as it would ensure that the measures could not be avoided through cross-border purchases.

A revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive has been long awaited. I have, on behalf of Ireland and several other Member States, recently called on the European Commission to bring forward the revised Tobacco Products Directive as soon as possible. I have called for that proposal to include all novel nicotine products such as pouches, and for this measure to include a ban on cross-border distance sales to avoid the circumvention of any national measures.