I commend my colleague Deputy Mark Ward on his relentless work on this Bill. Throughout the length and breadth of the country, we are seeing that what were once small silver bullet containers of nitrous oxide are now huge canisters littering our parks, streets and shopping areas. This is no longer a small-scale issue. I have been sent photos by my constituents of an entire shopping area in my hometown covered by empty boxes of canisters and huge canisters lying around in plain sight. In one residential area alone, the noise, litter and antisocial behaviour from people using these huge canisters on a daily and nightly basis became so bad that local residents, Drogheda gardaí, myself and my party colleague, Councillor Eric Donovan, had to put a collective special focus on the area for a sustained period to end the behaviour. The owners' management company installed new CCTV cameras to look at the area being used to consume vast amounts of FastGas. Local residents had to clean up the area. They ensured that whenever cars from outside their area parked and the groups began to gather to distribute and use the balloons, Drogheda gardaí were called immediately. Thankfully, they responded to the calls and moved the people with laughing gas on. That was several months ago and, thankfully, residents have reported that the gangs, canisters and antisocial behaviour stayed away from this area but, unfortunately, it just spreads elsewhere. Only last month, Revenue officials were at the public accounts committee, where I raised this Bill and what it contained with them. Revenue and customs officials said that nitrous oxide is being brought into Ireland at scale by organised crime gangs and is being used nationwide. While the smaller cartridges have a use in catering, Mr. Thomas Talbot, from Revenue's criminal investigation team said there is no legitimate use for the larger canisters. There is growing evidence of the use of nitrous oxide in communities. The number of instances of harm caused by the misuse of nitrous oxide are becoming increasingly apparent. I explained to the Revenue officials that this Bill was coming before the House to provide for the regulation of the sale of nitrous oxide. I told them it would ensure that nitrous oxide would be regulated for commercial use only and this Bill would give An Garda powers to seize canisters from those lacking the appropriate licences. I asked if it was something Revenue would support. They responded, on the public record, that they support this legislation. I ask the Minister to take the revenue stream away from criminal gangs and protect the health of our youth. Not only should he be supporting this Bill now, but he should be doing all in his power to enact it without delay.

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Hear, hear.

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