Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the number of vape shops allowed on any one street should be restricted in an effort to curb the “proliferation” of the businesses in towns and cities.
He also did not reject the idea of an outright ban on vapes, which he said should be dealt with in “as strong a manner as possible”.
Speaking at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party think-in on Tuesday afternoon, he told the Irish Independent that local authorities should look to limit the number of vape shops allowed on streets through planning.
Mr Martin said even the impact the number of shops can have on a town from an “architectural” perspective alone should prompt action.
“This was done before in relation to other types of shops in the past. It can be challenging, but it needs to be looked at,” he said.
The Fianna Fáil leader said there had been a number of steps taken by Government to tackle vaping, including a ban on disposables.
“I, personally, would like to go further and there will be further discussions with Government,” he said.
Mr Martin said he viewed vapes as “the revenge of Big Tobacco”, adding: “It has all the same hallmarks of tobacco. Go after the young, get the young addicted.”
He said there were public health concerns around the spread of vapes, describing them as “nearly worse than cigarettes”.
“In many instances, we don’t know what’s in them, they’re damaging to lungs and these are serious issues for society,” he said.
“We did it in respect of smoking many, many years ago. I think we need to do it now in terms of sunbeds… and we need to do something similar for vapes.”
Mr Martin said he would not yet be specific in relation to measures that would restrict the number of vape shops. But the Fianna Fáil leader insisted the parliamentary party would support new rules.
“In some streets and towns around Ireland, you have a proliferation of them and from an architectural presentation, the aesthetic point of view even alone, that’s not very good and so there needs to be some control over that.”
Asked whether he would back an outright ban on vapes, he said: “Well, I mean, I’m not the minister. But in my view, products like that are damaging to health, you should deal with them in as strong a manner as possible.”