Tens of thousands of people in this country smoke cigarettes. Tens of thousands of people use vapes. Those are the facts. A lot of these people do so as a bit of a relaxant. We have to understand that is a fact in this country. We tend to think that we should ban everything. This Bill proposes a full ban on the sale of single-use vapes and when it comes to children, I fully agree that no child should ever have access to these products. Adults are a different matter, though. Adults know the risks. Many adults use vapes as a substitute for smoking, which we all know is harmful. Adults are exactly that - adults - and they should have the freedom to make their own choices. We cannot keep sliding into a nanny state where the Government dictates every personal decision. This is presented as a public health measure but with everything happening in Ireland right now, I believe our time would be better spent elsewhere. We are on the verge of allowing carcinogenic meat and poultry products into this country under a thing called the Mercosur deal. This is a real public health crisis and one that could affect every single person in Ireland for generations, yet there is barely a word from the Government or media. If this Government truly cares about health it, should be sending a very strong message to Europe, "No to Mercosur". The Government should be ensuring all of its own MEPs agree to "No to Mercosur" and no to poisoning the Irish people. Back to vapes, taxing vape liquid is another mistake. Most adults who buy these products are trying to quit smoking. Adding more tax will push them back to the cigarettes. This is just another cost for Irish people dressed up as a protection. If the Government wants to protect citizens, it should start by protecting our own food supply. Let us talk about the cost. It will cost €3.1 million per year to enforce this ban, plus the 40 new enforcement posts. Instead of creating more bureaucracy, why not invest in education? Teach young people about the dangers of vaping and smoking. That is where prevention starts. We in Independent Ireland are critical of policies that hit ordinary people and small businesses such as Green-style taxes, over-regulation and extra public sector staffing. This Bill has all four: a new tax, a full ban, new inspection powers and annual costs. That is overkill. We support protecting children but the right approach is targeted measures such as a ban on sales to under-18s, restrictions on flavours and packaging, enforcing existing nicotine rules and cracking down on illegal imports, and not punishing adult users. Our position is simple. Right aim; wrong tool. Protect children, yes, but stop piling on bans, taxes and bureaucracy. Respect adult choice and focus on real health threats, such as Mercosur.

Sentiment score: -0.09