Cabinet to consider ban on sale of vaping products to under-18s

Under the laws, advertising will not be allowed near schools or on public transport, limiting exposure to commercial messages normalising e-cigarettes

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will seek Cabinet approval for the new laws, which will also restrict the types of retailers that can sell nicotine-inhaling products. Picture: PA

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will this morning seek Cabinet approval for legislation banning retailers from selling vaping products to under-18s and prohibiting e-cigarette advertisements on public transport.

The new laws also restrict the types of retailers that can sell nicotine-inhaling products.

Vaping advertising will not be allowed near schools, and the ban will also extend to public transport, so as to limit children’s exposure to commercial messages normalising or glamorising the purchase and usage of e-cigarettes.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are 16,000 different flavours of vapes, including bubblegum and gummy bears, and there are concerns it is a gateway to smoking, as children who have vaped have been found to be five times more likely to start smoking.

It is hoped to introduce the legislation in the Oireachtas early next year.

Wardship system

Meanwhile, Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman is seeking Cabinet approval for amendments to a Bill which will abolish the outdated wardship system.

The amendments to the Assisted Decision Making Capacilty Amendment Bill add three extra judges to the circuit court to ensure applications for decision-making representatives in the new legislation can be processed. 

There are currently more than 2,800 wards of court, with between 300 and 400 new applications made each year, so the additional positions are necessary to manage the anticipated demand under the new system.

Policing reform

Justice Minister Helen McEntee will seek Cabinet approval for a landmark bill to reform policing.

Community safety is one of the central elements of the bill, and it acknowledges that responsibility cannot rest with An Garda Síochána alone, and must be shared with departments and agencies such as local authorities and health and social services.

Maternity cover for councillors

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien will ask Government to approve the text of a bill to provide maternity cover for councillors.

Under the plans, councillors would be eligible to co-opt a replacement if they wish for the duration of their leave. This person would be paid by the local authority.

The amendments will also grant councillors access to secretarial assistance for the duration of their maternity leave, at a rate of €200 per week.

Climate action plan

The Taoiseach will bring the progress report of the 2021 Climate Action Plan, expected to be the last update before an updated Climate Action Plan for 2023 is published before the end of the year.

Social welfare

Separately, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys will today publish the Social Welfare Bill which will enact a wide range of supports for pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, and low-income families, as set out in Budget 2023.

The bill, which includes measures to increase the Working Family Payment threshold by €40 and changes to the means test for the Farm Assist Payment, will begin its passage through the Dáil this week.