Vape firms may pay thousands for licences under new laws

Licences will only be issued to owners that operate premises for a minimum of 12 months. Picture: Nick Ansell

Vaping companies face paying thousands of euro every year to hold a licence in Ireland, under new laws being considered by the Government.

It is understood Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is examining setting a new annual licence fee of €500 per shop that sells e-cigarettes.

It would mean vaping retailers with a number of premises across the country will face paying thousands of euro every year.

Under the current system for tobacco retailers, a once-off registration, with a fee of €50, means that a retailer can sell tobacco products from any number of premises for any length of time.

However, there is no licence system in place to regulate shops selling vaping products, until the new legislation is enacted, which is anticipated to be in the autumn.

The Irish Examiner  understands that under the new system an annual licence for each premises will be required. Mr Donnelly is “looking at” setting this fee at €500. 

Licences will only be issued to owners that operate the premises for a minimum of 12 months, in a move which the Government hopes will clamp down on pop-up stalls.

This will see the sale of cigarettes and vapes at music festivals banned. The sale of tobacco products and vapes by self-service, including vending machines, will also be prohibited.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is 'looking at' setting the annual licence fee  for each premises  at €500. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Cabinet recently approved a bill that will ban the sale of vaping products to those aged under 18.

Advertisements for e-cigarettes near schools and on public transport will also be banned in an attempt to stop normalising vaping.

Vape Business Ireland (VBI) said it is broadly supportive of the introduction of a retail licensing system, proposed under the Bill.

However, a spokesperson said that once implemented, the process for obtaining a licence “should be feasible and not unduly cumbersome for business owners to comply with”.

Effectively enforced

VBI said that while the regulations which will now be in force to combat youth access to nicotine-inhaling products are well intentioned, “we must nevertheless ensure that these are consistently and effectively enforced, so that vaping products are only made available to adult ex-smokers”.

The spokesperson said VBI is hoping the money collected from the retail licensing system can be ring-fenced to provide more resources to HSE environment health officers.

“We believe this measure will enable the HSE to be more effective at promptly removing non-compliant products from the market,” they said. 

The body said it is concerned that prohibiting retailers from applying for a licence to sell vaping products at temporary or movable premises is “excessive in nature” and fails to recognise the need for adult ex-smokers to have “prompt access to harm-reduction products”.

It added: “At age-gated events, and in cases where retailers are otherwise in possession of the appropriate licence, VBI regrets that adult ex-smokers will now be unable to access a product which has enabled more than 200,000 people across Ireland to move away from smoking.”