This Bill represents a piecemeal approach from this Government. It is the third Bill in three years, with another one on the way. That tells its own story. Instead of this Government using forward thinking and having a modern, comprehensive approach, we are left reacting, catching up and legislating bit by bit. Sinn Féin has sought a ban on single-use vapes for years. They are highly wasteful and damaging to the environment. Yet, this Bill will really only target products that are already being phased out, while failing to deal with the wider and growing problem of vaping. The Government needs to introduce modern and comprehensive legislation on vaping instead of piecemeal legislation. It needs to look forward because new trends and products will continue to come on the market. We cannot be left trying to catch up again. Public policy must be balanced. Vaping should not be made as expensive or penalised as much as smoking. Nor should it be made more attractive to non-smokers, particularly children and young people. We need to see restrictions on flavouring and packaging that target young people and children addressed properly in law. The use of vaping among young people is rising. Among 15- and 16-year-olds, vape use now stands at 18%, with 39% in this age group saying they have tried vapes. That should concern us all. Vapes are brightly coloured and flavourful and are marketed to look cool. I have seen young people with vapes because they think it looks cool or their friends are vaping. Some of these young people with vapes may never have lit a cigarette or ever wanted to light one. Yet, according to the Irish Heart Foundation, Irish research shows that teenagers who vape are three to four times more likely to start smoking compared to those who have never used vapes. That is a serious warning sign we cannot ignore. We know the harm is real. According to Professor Eamon Keenan, the HSE's national clinical lead for addictions, children and young people are increasingly falling ill from vaping cannabinoids. The HSE has confirmed that ten people were admitted to acute hospitals for vaping-related illnesses in 2023. Figures from the Health Research Board show that in 2025, 169 young people sought treatment for problems with HCC, hexahydrocannabinol, a drug contained in some vapes and edibles. The environmental impact cannot be ignored. Vapes contain plastic, nicotine salts, heavy metals such as lead and mercury and flammable lithium-ion batteries. They pollute waterways, hurt wildlife and harm people. In Ireland in 2022, an estimated 12.5 million disposable vapes were sold. With use on the rise, we must ask where these devices are. They are being binned, thrown on the ground, polluting waterways and adding to our growing plastic waste problem. As someone who works with my local Tidy Towns group in Shannon, I see this every time there is a litter pick. Vapes are on footpaths, grassways and parks. Even vape shop owners have shared this concern, with many in Clare reaching out to me directly. According to Clare Parenting, vaping impacts physical and mental health, concentration in school, activities, hobbies, relationships and finance. Sinn Féin believes we can and must do better. We must have legislation that is comprehensive, forward looking and focuses on protecting young people, public health and our environment.

Sentiment score: -0.04