The Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024 passed through Ireland's Seanad today, November 7, completing its passage through both houses of the Oireachtas.
The Bill will increase the minimum legal age of the sale of tobacco products to 21 years of age.
The Bill will now proceed to the President for consideration and signature.
Upon being signed, the Act will take effect on February 1, 2028. This allows a transition period to ensure that individuals currently eligible to purchase tobacco products, specifically those aged between 18 and 21, are not impacted.
The Bill provides that current penalties for anyone convicted of selling tobacco products to people under the age of 18 will be extended to cover convictions relating to sales to people under the age of 21, including fines of up to €4,000 or six months’ imprisonment, or both, for a first offence.
Ireland's Department of Health said on Thursday that the measure is being introduced in order to accelerate the decline in adult smoking prevalence, which has remained at 18% for several years, and to reduce smoking prevalence among children to zero.
On enactment, Ireland will become the first country in the EU to raise its age of sale to 21.
Announcing the completion of the Bill's passage through the Oireachtas, Ireland's Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly thanked his colleagues for supporting the Bill and "moving us forward toward the end of combustible tobacco products in our country."
He continued: "Ireland has long been a world leader in tackling smoking, beginning with the workplace smoking ban in 2004 and continuing with a range of measures including restrictions around the sale, advertising and packaging of smoking products to make them less attractive and less available to young people.
"I look forward to seeing this measure enacted, to help our young people to avoid the lifetime of addiction and illness that tobacco smoking brings."
Just brought legislation though the final stages @OireachtasNews that will allow us to increase the age at which you can buy cigarettes in Ireland. We are moving from 18 to 21, after receiving very clear health advice about the need to do this. To @PresidentIRL for consideration. pic.twitter.com/rIuwKbp703
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) November 7, 2024
Colm Burke, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, said: "This measure will protect our young people from starting their adult lives with an addiction to a product that causes 76% of lung cancers here and kills half of those who use it.
"I have strongly supported its introduction from the beginning and I look forward to its enactment."
Professor Mary Hogan, Ireland's Chief Medical Officer, said: "The enactment of this legislation represents another significant step in our efforts to reduce smoking levels.
"Tobacco smoking continues to be the biggest risk factor driving disability and death combined in our country, placing a huge burden on our health service.
"This measure will contribute to eliminating that ongoing threat and will support people to follow healthier behaviours."
Last December, Donnelly commenced section 28 of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act to prohibit the sale of nicotine-inhaling products such as e-cigarettes (commonly referred to as vapes) to persons under 18.
In May, Donnelly commenced sections of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023 that introduce a ban on the sale by self-service of tobacco products and nicotine-inhaling products, such as e-cigarettes.
And in December, Donnelly signed a law to apply an on-the-spot fine of €2,000 for the offence of selling tobacco products or nicotine-inhaling products at events aimed at children.
Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has welcomed the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at Westminster this week.
The Bill aims to introduce a progressive smoking ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the UK, so that anyone born on or after 1st January 2009 will never be able to legally be sold cigarettes. This means there will be no restrictions on people who can already legally smoke.
The inclusion of Northern Ireland in the new Bill will be subject to the agreement of the NI Executive and support of the NI Assembly.