1210. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health if there are any plans to introduce legislation that bans the use of vaping products in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47982/23]

1347. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Health to provide details on the existence of a policy initiative within his Department addressing the concerning increase in vaping among primary and secondary school children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48673/23]

Stephen Donnelly, Minister for Health: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1210 and 1347 together.

The primary focus of policy and action in relation to e-cigarettes is to reduce uptake by children and young people.

My current legislative priority is the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill, which will prohibit the sale of all nicotine inhaling products to children and introduce a requirement for a licence for their sale. The Bill completed Committee Stage on 12 October 2023. It is expected to be enacted in this legislative session.

I am also considering further comprehensive regulation of nicotine inhaling products. I will publish a consultation shortly examining a range of policy options to decrease their appeal, availability and use among young people, while considering their relative harm compared to combustible tobacco for adults who smoke. Regarding a prohibition on vaping on school campuses, the aim will be to progress this via cooperation rather than legislation, as is the case for smoking.

In addition to legislation, there are a number of initiatives and campaigns at local and national level that tackle the issue of youth vaping. The HSE has recently worked with the Department of Education to develop Junior Cycle SPHE modules on substance misuse, including e-cigarettes. The module for Second Year students focuses on raising awareness of the impact of ’roll your own’ cigarettes, vaping and e-cigarettes, and exploring the marketing techniques employed by tobacco companies.

Finally, my Department and the HSE work closely with Local Authorities to develop voluntary initiatives that promote smoke and vape free environments such as Not Around Us. These aim to further reduce the areas where smoking and vaping are present in daily life for young people.