209. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will consider developing a whole-of-Government strategy to combat the illicit tobacco trade, in line with the approach adopted by the UK government (details supplied). [75045/26]
Topics / Tobacco Control Measures
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsTobacco Control Measures
142 questions from 34 TDs, between 5 February 2025 and 22 October 2026.
142
questions
142 written, 0 oral
34
TDs have asked
8
parties and groups
Independents counted together
3
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 15 |
| March 2025 | 4 |
| April 2025 | 7 |
| May 2025 | 10 |
| June 2025 | 9 |
| July 2025 | 6 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 1 |
| October 2025 | 4 |
| November 2025 | 6 |
| December 2025 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 2 |
| February 2026 | 8 |
| March 2026 | 9 |
| April 2026 | 11 |
| May 2026 | 16 |
| June 2026 | 7 |
| July 2026 | 13 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 3 |
| October 2026 | 11 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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30
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25
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13
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10
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8
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4
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4
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4
Asked of
The questions
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…
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…
697. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of retailers identified by the HSE as selling tobacco or nicotine inhaling products without a licence since the deadline of 2 August 2026 for existing retailers to apply; the enforcement action taken in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71428/26]
699. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of applications received by the HSE for licences to sell nicotine inhaling products since the commencement of retail licensing on 2 February 2026; the number granted, refused and pending; and the number of licensed premises in each county; the breakdown for County Mayo and the town of Claremorris; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71426/…
704. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Health the number of inspections carried out by the HSE of importers, distributors and manufacturers of nicotine inhaling products in each of the years 2022 to 2026 to date; the number found non-compliant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71442/26]
831. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he has engaged with the Department of Health or the Health Information and Quality Authority regarding its current review of tobacco affordability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63461/26]
832. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance in light of the Health Information and Quality Authority's review of tobacco affordability, whether his department will assess the impact of tobacco excise increases on the illicit tobacco market before further increases in excise duty; and if he will make a statement on the matter [63462/26]
833. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if his Department is concerned that further increases in tobacco excise duty may increase demand for cheaper, illicit tobacco products; if his Department has assessed this risk in advance of Budget 2027; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63465/26]
216. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Health if her Department is considering a ban on the purchase of tobacco products for future generations, such as was introduced in countries such as New Zealand and the UK; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52003/26]
229. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether the conference being organised by her Department on 16 and 17 November 2026, entitled "Maximising EU Potential through Health - Securing Our Future Through Prevention, Innovation and Equity", will include any dedicated session, panel, speaker contribution or outcome document addressing tobacco control, novel nicotine products, youth vaping, or preparations …
230. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether, during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, if she intends to seek a dedicated discussion at EPSCO Health Council, including under Any Other Business if necessary, on the need to expedite the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive and Tobacco Advertising Directive; whether she has raised or intends to raise this matter directly wi…
231. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the plans to work with the Member States that joined Ireland in the March 2025 letter to the European Commission calling for urgent progress on EU tobacco-control legislation, including Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain, with a view to securing renewed Council-level momentum during the Irish…
232. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health the number of meetings of the Working Party on Public Health that are scheduled or expected to take place during the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union; whether tobacco control, novel nicotine products, youth vaping, or the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive are expected to feature on the agenda of any such meeting; and whether Ireland in…
233. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether tobacco control, novel nicotine products, youth vaping, or preparation for a revised Tobacco Products Directive will feature in the conference being organised in Dublin from 15 to 18 September 2026, entitled "2026 Annual Conference of the European Society for Prevention Research on Innovation in Prevention to Support Health Equity"; whether her Department i…
234. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether she plans to facilitate exchanges between the European Commission, Council officials, Member State health attachés and public-health stakeholders, including through workshops, technical meetings or Presidency events, to support a comprehensive and expedited revision of the Tobacco Products Directive and Tobacco Advertising Directive; and if she will make a …
235. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health whether Ireland intends to seek council conclusions, a Presidency statement, or another formal Presidency output during its EU Council Presidency calling for stronger EU action on tobacco control, including action on novel nicotine products, youth vaping, cross-border marketing, flavours, packaging and online sales; and if she will make a statement on the matter. […
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]