I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill this afternoon. It is really important. There is not a shop you can go to in the country where you will not see bins outside the door littered with these awful looking disposable vapes. There is also some kind of trend to stick the stickers peeled off the top of these disposable vapes all over the bin. They just seem to be everywhere. I will get to the health hazards in a moment but, from an environmental point of view, these horrible little glowing neon plastic modules are flung around everywhere. It is worrying that, in recent years, we have seen the rate of vaping among young people increase at the same time that the rate of smoking nicotine products seems to be decreasing. I was on the previous Committee on Health, which looked at this matter, and I believe the increase is down to the way these products are packaged and sold. They are seen as quite trendy. Young people are encouraged to take up these products. I would be very supportive of anything that curtails their use. The public health Act of 2023 brought in licensing fees for the sale of tobacco and nicotine products. Before that legislation was passed, there was a registration fee of €50 per annum per retail premises regardless of how big or small the premises was. Now, there is a charge of €1,000 for the sale of tobacco products and €800 for the sale of nicotine products. The combined cost for a retailer is therefore €1,800 per annum. I have no issue with the cost. However, I have spoken to the Minister of State in the past and she will know I have an issue with the small retailer, a small shop in a village, paying the very same rate as Lidl, Aldi, Dunnes Stores, Tesco and so on. That is fundamentally wrong. There should be a far higher licensing fee for those huge retailers and a more minor charge for others. They are not at fault here. We need to home in on the companies that manufacture these vapes, sell them and market them to young people. I hope that can be looked at. The Minister of State and I have had several chats on the matter. I hope that, as this Bill and other legislation teed up in the Minister of State's Department progress, some amendment to the 2023 public health Act can be brought forward so that this punitive charge is not imposed on the small retailer and that a greater portion is paid by larger retailers. I welcome to the Public Gallery students from Rice College in Ennis. These are the last few days of their school term before they wrap up for Christmas. They have come up to Leinster House and the Dáil today. They are having a nice day out. I welcome all the boys and girls from third year in Rice College who are here today. They may have come in at the end of the debate. For the next while, we will be debating disposable vapes and how the Government can legislate to ensure fewer young people take up vaping. It is very harmful for your health. The Government feels that these disposable vapes - we all know the brand names - are plastic and are usually chucked away after being used. They are very hazardous to the environment as well as being hazardous to your health. I wish the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, all the staff and all Members of the House a very happy Christmas.

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