COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 10, 2025

QUESTION NO. 31

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive would he consider that South Dublin County Council develop an educational awareness program together with local drug task forces and schools in our county to highlight the risk to children's health by repeated inhalation of nitrous oxide?

REPLY:

Last May, the Council piloted a Junior Safety Forum with sixth class students in eight primary schools across the county. Through a series of workshops, students discussed safety concerns within their schools and local communities. Among the key issues raised were the risks associated with nitrous oxide and vaping.

In response, the Community Department is collaborating with the Junior Safety Forum, the Local Drugs and Alcohol Task Force, Sláintecare, Healthy Ireland, and the HSE to raise awareness about the dangers these substances pose to young people's health. As part of this initiative, the Junior Safety Forum has created a new poster, 'Escape the Vape', and is currently developing an awareness video to highlight the harmful effects of nitrous oxide on health, the environment, and the wider community.

These initiatives are set to be launched at the next Junior Safety Forum workshop at the end of March and will be forwarded to all primary schools in the county to help raise awareness.