Cork County Council likely to ban smoking and vaping at all its amenity areas 

The measure is likely to be introduced following a motion by Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley

The county council’s Corporate Policy Group will discuss new bylaws to prohibit smoking and vaping in playgrounds, multi-use games area, and amenity spaces. iStock

A ban looks likely to be introduced on smoking and vaping at all playgrounds, multi-use games area, and amenity spaces controlled by Cork County Council, primarily sparked by concerns about children’s health.

The county council’s Corporate Policy Group is set to discuss bringing in new bylaws to prohibit smoking cigarettes and inhaling vapes following a motion by Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley.

Her call, made at a meeting of the Carrigaline municipal district council, received unanimous cross-party support, and was also backed by the most senior council official representing the area.

Ms Buckley said she is very concerned about the influence that smoking and vaping is having on young children.

She said it is well known that cigarettes are cancer-causing, adding that there are also concerns about the negative health impacts of vaping.

Ms Buckley said that older people inhaling both are being seen by children, and this is encouraging them to take up such habits — especially if they see it happening at playgrounds.

She told the council meeting that she has seen children as young as 11 or 12 smoking vapes at facilities, with some that age even smoking cigarettes.

Ms Buckley said the amount of discarded cigarette butts in these areas is also becoming very problematic, especially for council staff and tidy towns volunteers who are constantly having to pick them up and bin them.

She said she had no doubt that the ones at playground areas are likely to be smoked by parents while their children are playing on the swings, roundabouts, and other amusements.

Ms Buckley said that all council-controlled amenities should have signs put up detailing the prohibition.

“Vaping isn’t harmless,” she said.

Most vapes contain addictive nicotine that affects developing brains and can lead teenagers to smoke cigarettes. It can irritate lungs, trigger asthma, and expose users and bystanders to harmful chemicals like heavy metals and formaldehyde.

“Second-hand vape clouds aren’t safe, especially for children, pregnant women, and those with respiratory issues.

“Plus, disposable vapes create toxic waste that harms the environment.

“Vaping, especially around children is not safe,” she said.

“While it may help some adults quit smoking, its widespread use in public and youth environments raises serious health and social concerns.

“The litter from cigarette buts and plastic vapes, end up in our river and seas, it can also be very harmful to wildlife,” Ms Buckley told the council meeting.

Independent councillor Ben Dalton-O’Sullivan supported the calls from Ms Buckley, saying it is a “very good motion”.

Sharon Corcoran, who is the council’s director of corporate and governance affairs, said she had also seen young children vaping at playgrounds.

Ms Corcoran said she could imagine that other municipal district councils would like to see similar bylaws prohibiting vaping and smoking introduced and that she would recommend this been discussed by the council’s Corporate Policy Group.