Members of Mayo County Council have expressed concern about the growing number of vape shops in Mayo towns.
Cllr Alma Gallagher said a third vape shop had recently opened in Claremorris within 100 metres of two other similar premises.
Vapes are not currently subject to all of the restrictions that apply to traditional tobacco products. However, further controls are proposed in response to growing evidence of the potential harms associated with vaping.
“I’m very much concerned about the precedent that this is for our towns across the county,” the Fine Gael councillor said, noting a new vape shop recently opened in Ballyhaunis.
Cllr Gallagher said local authorities should be able to restrict “an excessive concentration of outlets selling nicotine products” without targeting individual businesses or landlords.
She cited the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023, under which the HSE administers a licensing system for outlets selling nicotine-inhaling products.
Cllr Gallagher called for greater clarity regarding the HSE’s conditions for issuing such licences. She also asked for a review of the relevant legislation, saying that it “does not appear to require any consideration whatsoever for the number of existing outlets in towns” or their proximity to schools or youth facilities.
“How can we pursue policies aimed at reducing nicotine addiction in young people while having a licensing system that does not appear to consider the impact of multiple vape shops operating within a very small geographic area?”
“There’s huge concern at the moment among retailers,” continued the Fine Gael councillor. “When we talk about revitalising our town centres, vape shops are not the answer, and I think we need to do something about it. It’s at a critical point.”
In a letter to Ballina Municipal District Council, the private secretary to Minister of State for Housing and Planning John Cummins said that “restrictions on the availability and sale of vapes are also being actively pursued by the Minister for Health”.
The letter, issued in response to concerns from local councillors, cited the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023, which introduced a suite of measures to address the rise in youth vaping. These include prohibiting the sale of nicotine inhaling products to people under 18, banning self-service vending machines, and imposing further restrictions on the advertising of nicotine inhaling products on public transport, in cinemas and in the vicinity of schools.
The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026, which seeks to impose further regulations on such products, is currently before the Seanad.
Its main provisions include requirements for plain packaging of vapes and refill containers, mirroring the existing requirements for traditional tobacco products.
Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Kevin Kelly, said the council had proposed two new provisions regarding vape shops which are within its powers to implement, but these measures were not outlined.
“But I think we would welcome a strengthening of the planning legislation at national level to give us a greater say in respect of what happens on the main streets of our towns,” Mr Kelly added.