The Bill is about protecting children, making it harder for them to purchase so-called laughing gas and ensuring that it is only sold for legitimate commercial and health purposes. Nitrous oxide has legitimate uses in health as a sedative and in the catering industry for use in whipped cream canisters. Unfortunately, and particularly since the Covid era, we have seen its misuse by some young people. Anyone, particularly those of us living in urban areas, will have seen the discarded so-called silver bullets on the footpaths and roadsides where young people congregate. They are literally littered all over parts of my city of Limerick. It is a drug that can have a long-term impact on health. A recent study found that health workers who have been exposed to small amounts of the gas can experience fertility issues. A Mater hospital neurologist has reported on the increase in people presenting with nerve damage following consumption of so-called laughing gas. The more immediate impacts on the youths who use it in a social setting include numbness in their extremities, balance issues, increased heart rate and frostbite. Longer term there is real concern about its impact on the mental health of adolescents. The damage it does can be severe. Excessive use blocks the development of the coating that protects nerves and can lead to spinal cord damage. The aims of the Bill are straightforward and focus on the protection of our young people. It aims to make it hard for the product to be purchased by under 18-year-olds. Criminal gangs are aware of the profits they can make from selling this product. They are purchasing it in bulk cheaply and selling it for a profit to young people. It is an attractive product for younger people to use as it provides a high for up to 45 minutes and is less expensive than alcohol. The sale and supply of this product is not a niche problem. During a recent "Prime Time" programme, Revenue noted that they are seizing more than 1,000 large canisters per week. Thomas Talbot, who leads the Revenue criminal investigation function said that organised crime is making money on the back of society. While I am talking about organised crime, in Limerick we are in a battle against the criminal gangs, which we are unfortunately not winning. This was cruelly seen over the weekend in the Ballincurra Weston, Garryowen and St. Mary's Park areas with shootings, petrol bombs and other attacks on homes, properties and cars. I ask the Minister to speak with the Garda Commissioner about this issue, because we have a massive problem in Limerick, and I am concerned people will be killed.

Sentiment score: -0.14