Tobacco sales licencing fee figures were 'plucked out of the air' say retailers

Retailers will have to pay a €1,800 fee to sell tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products

The fee is payable every time the licence is renewed unlike the old scheme which just had to be paid once.

A retailers group has claimed in the High Court that the previous minister for health. Stephen Donnelly introduced exorbitant new licensing fees for selling tobacco products, which were just "plucked out of the air".

Mr Donnelly, Minister for Health between 2020 and 2024, brought in regulations in 2024 under the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 which hiked up the old one-off €50 registration fee for selling the products.