Health Promotion

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022

Tuesday, 12 July 2022

Questions (816, 817)

Noel Grealish

Question:

816. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the findings of a recently published report commissioned by the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care which found that a 40% increase in the rate of persons quitting smoking was required each year for the target of less than 5% smoking prevalence in England by 2030 to be met; the way that he proposes to achieve similar increases in the numbers of persons quitting given the Tobacco Free Ireland objective for 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37181/22]

Noel Grealish

Question:

817. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Health if he will request his officials to consider the recently published report commissioned by the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in completing the process of drafting the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019 following the release by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health of the report on the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37182/22]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 816 and 817 together.

I note the report referred to by the Deputy, and my Department continues to monitor available evidence and policy developments globally in relation to tobacco control.

Achieving a smokefree Ireland requires a multi-faceted approach, acknowledging the importance of prevention as well as cessation. For this reason, our national tobacco control policy - Tobacco Free Ireland - contains over 60 recommendations across a range of tobacco control issues, underpinned by the need to protect children and denormalise smoking. Progress on implementing those recommendations is reported in the Tobacco Free Ireland Annual Report which is published by my Department each year.

The Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill, which will implement a number of Tobacco Free Ireland recommendations, including introducing a licensing system for the retail sale of tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products, is a priority of Government and is currently being drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel

Question No. 817 answered with Question No. 816.

Question No. 818 answered with Question No. 809.