I thank the Members of the House for their contributions to the debate today and I look forward to their support as this Bill is further considered on Committee Stage. The range of measures that we have developed to address the problems caused by vaping are the result of thorough consideration. This Bill has one purpose, which is to ban single-use vapes, but we are soon bringing in the legislation to address the many other issues around these products. We are moving ahead of some EU counterparts with some of the measures in this Bill and in our upcoming law. For instance, France and Belgium are the only other EU countries to have progressed with a ban on disposable vapes. The UK and New Zealand have similar laws and I welcome our Government being so progressive on this issue. There is a risk in this approach. It means that consumers may be able to avoid these measures by making purchases from other countries. We are aware of that. I know it was spoken about today. That is why the Minister for Health has repeatedly called on the European Commission to bring forward a new tobacco products directive as soon as possible, for example, an EU-wide ban on single-use vapes. It would be much more effective with an EU-wide ban on cross-border purchase of these products which would mean progressive member states can continue with other regulations without the concerns that measures will be undermined by purchasing from countries with different laws. We will continue to call on the EU for wider measures but we will also continue to legislate to protect the health of our children. This Bill needs to be notified at EU level and assessed by other member states and the European Commission. The required notification was made in December. There is a six-month assessment period which must be served. It has been sent to the EU. I look forward to a positive response from the European Commission on this measure. I am also finalising a law to provide for baseline measures on all current and future nicotine products. This is important as we see newer products like nicotine pouches on the market, and several Members brought this up. We are very much aware of these new nicotine pouches. Last year, we held a public consultation on vapes. We sought views on issues such as flavours, packaging and point-of-sale advertising and displays. The consultation received nearly 16,000 responses which tells you the number of people who have concerns. We were really pleased with that. This level of interest is not surprising. Like all of us, I hear the concerns of parents and teachers every day about the level of nicotine used by children and young people. The responses to the consultation along with evidence reviews, a regulatory impact assessment and legal advice, have informed our proposed law. We are working to ensure that it will be legally robust as well as effective. As was said today, this has to work and has to be effective. We are talking about products such as nicotine pouches that already exist or any further products that may be designed for recreational use of nicotine. It is important that these types of products are covered by legislation now. We saw how quickly vapes increased in use among our young people and how widely available the different colours and flavours became. It happened so quickly. We do not want the same thing to happen with other nicotine products. It is important that a comprehensive law addresses new products as it is constantly changing. The further approved measures we are currently finalising will prohibit the sale of these products and any future nicotine products to any person under the age of 18. The next Bill will restrict colours and imagery on the packages of vapes and on devices to make them less attractive to children. It will also restrict the flavours available and ban all flavour descriptors and language other than the basic flavour names. This is to remove the marketing potential of the use of child-friendly flavours which is important. The Bill will also ban the advertising of these products in shops such as supermarkets and convenience stores as well as specialist shops and the vape shops we see popping up. With the new licensing system coming in, pop-up shops will not be able to get a licence. People spoke about the number of pop-up shops. I have written to local authorities about this. We will ban the retail display of these products in supermarkets, convenience stores and other mixed retail outlets. An awareness campaign came up today as well. I am mindful of that. Working with my Department, which I would like to thank for its hard work, and the HSE, we will have a big awareness campaign on this. We will go into schools and will advertise it. I am mindful of that around the country. A few issues were raised. One in particular was why the two Bills are separate instead of one. This was on the advice of the Attorney General and due to the regulatory framework for single-use vapes being different from that of the nicotine inhaling products. Our plans to restrict flavours, regular packaging and restrict point-of-sale displays for nicotine inhaling products will be delivered in the public health (tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products) (amendment) Bill. This Bill will be drafted by the end of the month. We are working hard with the Department and my team. It will be drafted by the end of the month and, subject to Cabinet approval, will then be ready to enter the Houses. There was also concern about the definition of single-use vapes. The definition used is based on a UK law. That has been worked through with the Office of the Attorney General. We are satisfied this has the intended effect. Time given for prosecutions and offences also came up. This is a standard provision in the tobacco control law. It ensures our National Environmental Health Service has enough time to prepare a robust case for any prosecution taken. Resources were also brought up. As Members know, we work closely with the HSE to provide sufficient resources for our National Environmental Health Service, our enforcement body. More resources would allow our environmental health officers to do more. In budget 2026, I am delighted to say I secured an extra environmental health officer in each region which will help with enforcement matters. We have extra staff in each region. The team has worked very hard on that. On taxing of vapes, last year, my colleagues and the Minister for Finance placed a tax on e-liquids of 50 cent per ml. This was put on as an incentive not to buy them. The delay and industry pressure came up as well. There was a suggestion there were delays in bringing this law forward owing to industry pressures on the Department of Health. I assure the House neither the Department of Health nor I engaged with any tobacco or vaping industry. Ireland is part a framework convention on tobacco control which provides that parties should protect their public health policy from interference by the tobacco industry. The Department of Health actively complies with the legal requirements and has urged other Government Departments, public representatives and public officials to do the same. Our national tobacco control policy, Tobacco Free Ireland, is currently being reviewed. This review will consider the full range of existing legislation and voluntary measures to protect the public from second-hand smoke and aerosols, which came up a lot today, and whether they should be strengthened. This will be done in the context of Council recommendations on smoke and aerosol-free environments which recommend that member states protect the public from second-hand smoke and aerosols in a range of indoor and outdoor spaces with a particular focus on spaces for children, education and healthcare. Education is key to this. As I said earlier, this legislation is about prevention. By banning single-use vapes, we are taking further action to protect young people from nicotine addiction and to prevent a new generation from becoming dependent on these products. This is about protecting health and well-being in particular for younger people. I look forward to returning to the House when we have finalised, comprehensive laws on other aspects of vapes and other tobacco products such a nicotine pouches. I know there will be further debate on Committee Stage. I hope Members will work with us in ultimately enacting this important legislation. I thank everyone. This is really important legislation. It is important we get it through the House as soon as possible. We are ready with the enforcements and the team from the HSE on awareness. With all of us working together, it will be game-changing.

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