2603. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Health if she is aware of instances in which free nicotine pouches have been distributed by retailers and at music festivals throughout Dublin bay north and elsewhere, including to individuals who may be under the age of 18; if she will outline the current enforcement measures in place to regulate this practice; if new legislative or regulatory steps are being considered to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41089/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Minister for Health: My current legislative priority is the comprehensive regulation of nicotine inhaling products such as e-cigarettes, addressing point of sale display, the appearance of these devices, packaging, flavours and a ban on disposable vapes. These proposals are now being drafted with the Office of the Attorney General. Once drafting is completed, the measures will require notification and assessment at EU level under the Technical Standards Directive (Directive 2015/1535) and the Tobacco Products Directive (Directive 2014/40/EU).

Nicotine pouches are not currently regulated under domestic or EU tobacco control legislation. I am currently giving consideration to possible approaches to the regulation of such products. EU-wide regulation on novel nicotine products is more effective than individual Member States taking action as it ensures that measures cannot be avoided through cross-border purchases. As a revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive has been long awaited, I have, on behalf of Ireland and several other Member States, recently called on the European Commission to bring forward the revised Directive as soon as possible. I have called for that proposal to include all novel nicotine products such as pouches, and for this measure to include a ban on cross-border distance sales so that national measures cannot be avoided through purchases from other jurisdictions.