317. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of representations or motions received by his Department since 1 January 2025 from local authorities, including Cork City Council and Cork County Council, seeking changes to planning law in respect of premises for the retail sale of nicotine inhaling products; the response issued in each case; and if he will make a statem…
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
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Showing questions asked by Ken O'Flynn under the heading Tobacco Control Measures.
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318. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Retail Planning Guidelines for Planning Authorities (2012) are to be reviewed, or a national planning statement prepared, to address the proliferation of premises for the retail sale of nicotine inhaling products in cities, towns and villages; the timeline for any such review or statement; and if he will make a statement…
319. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether there is planning measures under consideration in respect of premises for the retail sale of nicotine inhaling products that would allow planning authorities to have regard to the over concentration of such premises and their proximity to schools; whether any such measure would apply to premises already trading; whether his …
320. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the examination by officials in his Department of whether amendments to the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, are required to enable planning authorities to object to or refuse premises for the retail sale of nicotine inhaling products; the date on which that examination commenced; the expected dat…
462. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of applications for retail licences for tobacco products and nicotine inhaling products received since 2 February 2026; the number granted, refused and outstanding; the number of licences suspended or revoked; the number of retailers registered to sell tobacco products prior to 2 February 2026 that had not applied for a licence by 2 August 2026; and if …
463. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of targeted compliance checks carried out by the HSE since 2 February 2026 to detect the sale of tobacco products or nicotine inhaling products without a licence, by county and separately for Cork city and Cork County; the number of premises found to be selling without a licence; the enforcement action taken, including prosecutions; and if she will make…
481. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of retail licences granted to date under the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023, broken down by licence type, that is, tobacco products only, nicotine inhaling products only, and both, by county, separately for the administrative areas of Cork City Council and Cork County Council, and by retail premises and online s…
286. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of samples of nicotine-inhaling products submitted by the National Environmental Health Service to the State Laboratory for testing of nicotine content and liquid volume in 2024, in 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of those samples that failed to meet legal limits in each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49977/26]
287. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the reason the number of European safety alerts issued by the National Environmental Health Service in respect of nicotine-inhaling products fell to zero in quarter one 2026, compared with 15 in 2025, notwithstanding that inspection numbers in quarter one 2026 remained high; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49978/26]
288. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of inspections, compliance notices and prohibition orders issued by the National Environmental Health Service in respect of nicotine-inhaling product retailers, broken down by county, for 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49979/26]
289. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of retailers of nicotine-inhaling products inspected by the National Environmental Health Service more than once in the same calendar year in 2024, in 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of those retailers referred for summary proceedings as repeat offenders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49980/26]
290. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the expected court dates for the three prosecution cases currently before the District Court against retailers of nicotine-inhaling products referenced in a reply to the Deputy dated 16 June 2026; the legislative basis applied in determining penalties in such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49981/26]
679. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the test purchase inspections for nicotine inhaling products carried out by the National Environmental Health Service in each of years from 2024 to 2025, and to-date in 2026; the number of retailers found selling to children in each county; and the number of resulting prosecutions, by county, in tabular form. [46969/26]
680. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of convictions secured arising from prosecutions for the sale of nicotine inhaling products to children in each of the years 2024 to 2025, and to- date in 2026; and the penalties imposed by the courts in each case. [46970/26]
681. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of repeat offenders identified through the National Environmental Health Service test purchase programme for nicotine inhaling products since 2024; and whether consideration has been given to enhanced sanctions for repeat breaches. [46971/26]
511. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of vape retail outlets operating in the State in each year since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40861/26]
512. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if her Department maintains a national register or database of vape retail outlets operating within the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40862/26]
513. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if a public health assessment has been undertaken regarding the concentration or proliferation of vape and smoke retail outlets in Irish cities, towns and villages over the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40863/26]
514. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if an assessment has been undertaken regarding youth exposure to nicotine-related advertising, branding or retail visibility arising from the increasing number of vape and smoke retail outlets operating in town and city centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40864/26]
515. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of inspections, compliance checks, enforcement actions, fixed penalty notices and prosecutions relating to the sale of vaping or nicotine products to minors in each year since 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40865/26]
516. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if consideration has been given to introducing a national licensing system for vape and smoke retail outlets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40866/26]
517. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health if a review has been undertaken regarding the environmental and public health impact associated with disposable vaping products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40867/26]
722. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of retail premises licensed or registered to sell vaping products in Ireland as of the most recent data available; whether her Department has assessed the density of such premises relative to schools and youth facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41303/26]
723. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of inspections carried out by the Environmental Health Service on vape shops and retailers selling vaping products in 2024, in 2025 and to date in 2026; the number of compliance notices or enforcement actions that resulted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41304/26]
724. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department intends to introduce further restrictions on the advertising, display, or flavouring of vaping products in retail premises; the timeline for any such measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41305/26]