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Stephen Donnelly’s nicotine buzz is wrecked by news of pouches

Social Democrats TD enlightens Minister for Health about nicotine pouches as Holly Cairns echoes Sinn Féin leader’s disgruntlement on housing

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

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Miriam Lord
Tue May 14 2024 - 21:36

Stephen Donnelly was at Government Buildings on Tuesday carrying on the good work of his predecessor in the Department of Health and confirming that the Government is raising the minimum age for purchasing cigarettes to 21.

It’s 20 years since his party leader brought in legislation which saw Ireland become the first country in the world to ban smoking in workplaces. Micheál Martin will have been delighted that a fellow Fianna Fáil Minister is introducing the latest measure.

(Not that Micheál ever mentions the big part he played in Ireland becoming the best small country in the world in which to introduce a world-leading smoking ban. Well, not that much. Like, not every day or anything like that.)

And now here comes Stephen, about to make Ireland the first country in the European Union to push up the age limit for buying cigarettes.

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In December he outlawed the sale of vapes to under-18s and is now drafting legislation around using colours and flavouring in them.

More good news, particularly when 18 per cent of the population over the age of 15 are smokers.

But then Jennifer Whitmore, his constituency colleague in Wicklow, arrives in the Dáil to wreck his nicotine buzz.

In this highly lucrative marketplace, the price of progress is eternal vigilance. New products are always popping up and politicians must keep a wary eye on developments.

Jennifer held up a little sachet. ‘This is a nicotine pouch that goes up against your gum, it rests up against your gum.’ The handful of TDs in the chamber – it has been a while since they saw their teens – looked across with interest

During the order of business, the Social Democrat TD raised the issue of nicotine pouches.

Not patches?

No, pouches.

Jennifer held up a little sachet. “This is a nicotine pouch that goes up against your gum, it rests up against your gum.”

The handful of TDs in the chamber – it has been a while since they saw their teens – looked across with interest.

She demonstrated how it is slipped under the upper lip before holding it up it up for the curious politicians to see.

“That’s five times stronger than a cigarette.”

The Taoiseach shot her a worried glance.

“What’s happening is that children are using these in school at the moment. Teachers don’t know they have them under their gum. They’re highly addictive. They’re marketed to teens as well – mint flavour, berry flavours...”

She sent off a question to the Minister for Health and discovered that there are no regulations governing their sale here.

“That absolutely needs to happen,” she said, adding that the chair of the national association of school principals wants the Health Service Executive to issue guidance to help schools deal with the issue.

“We need to get ahead of these nicotine companies, Taoiseach, and be proactive in actually regulating before the problem becomes too big.”

Left-hander Simon Harris took copious notes while his fellow Wicklow TD explained all about the pouches. He thanked her for bringing the matter to his attention.

“This sounds like quite an alarming and concerning situation for parents, teachers and principals,” he replied, undertaking to consult the Minister for Health on the issue “and pass on your serious concerns, which, I must say, I share”.

That’s another line on Stephen Donnelly’s to-do list from his constituency colleague/rival.

As for the Taoiseach, the Opposition wants him to get cracking on his own to-do list if he wants to have any chance of cracking the housing crisis.

Or perhaps not.

There is less than a year left in the 33rd Dáil, leaving Simon Harris in a race against time to deliver recognisable results before the general election.

As she describes the latest outrageous scandal visited upon the people by this Government, deputy McDonald regularly finishes up her denunciations with the same flabbergasted pronouncement of stunned gobsmackery

In the meantime, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald will continue to hammer his government’s performance on housing, with Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns also going in strong on the issue.

Mary Lou is on firm ground when she confronts the Taoiseach on the housing issue. She knows the lines in her “them versus us” framing of the crisis where fat-cat speculators, facilitated by a compliant political establishment, make fortunes from exploiting ordinary people who just want a home to call their own.

Holly’s approach is one designed to appeal to younger voters who want a forever place but feel they will be forever priced out of the market. She speaks their language.

On Tuesday, it also looked like she has also been affected by some of the Sinn Féin leader’s language.

As she describes the latest outrageous scandal visited upon the people by this Government, deputy McDonald regularly finishes up her denunciations with the same flabbergasted pronouncement of stunned gobsmackery.

“You. Couldn’t. Make. It. Up.”

On Tuesday, such was the level of astonished flabsmackery she preceded the declaration with a wide-eyed “Wow!” And followed up with “This is scandalous.”

She was horrified because the Government, despite having earlier promised to end the practice, is still leasing social housing from property funds at a huge cost to the exchequer. And to add insult to injury, after paying €3.24 billion for another basket of “wasteful” 25-year leases, the asset remains with the corporate landlords.

Holly Cairns was also outraged by the continuation of these long-term leasing deals where “the State pays through the nose and is left with nothing except the bill: no assets, no homes”.

The State will pay way above the odds for property it will never own, the rents charged are through the roof “and the investment funds are loving it”.

Under the circumstances, Holly had little choice but to channel some classic Mary Lou.

“You couldn’t make it up.”

A former taoiseach, Micheál Martin, promised to phase out these crazy arrangements. “The personalities change but the broken promises remain the same,” she told Simon Harris.

But the Taoiseach said these lease deals represent only “a very small part” of the State’s housing provision and insisted they will be done away with by the end of next year.

But the Social Democrats leader didn’t have much faith in this latest pledge from this latest Taoiseach.

There is a huge difference between what the Government says and what it is actually doing, she told him.

“Even yesterday, I heard you on The Pat Kenny Show saying that we need at least 50,000 homes per year but the Government’s set out target is 33,000, and the Minister for Housing is saying that won’t change, at least until next year.”

That didn’t go down well.

“I respect you but please don’t misrepresent my position. Because I never said, never ever, ever, ever, ever, anywhere that there would be 50,000 homes built this year,” Simon Harris almost growled, so he must have been angry.

What he said is that the county needs to build a quarter of a million new homes between 2025 and 2030, which is not the same thing. This is something the construction industry says is “eminently doable”.

And furthermore, he nearly snarled, so he must have been riled: “We have seen 29,000 houses go to construction this year so far and we’ve just started the month of May.”

Jennifer should have passed him the nicotine pouch.

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