Seanad Call for Planning Tools to Control Vape Shop and Retail Clustering

Senator Alison Comyn has called for stronger planning controls to prevent excessive clustering of vape shops and identical retail outlets in Irish town centres.

Speaking in Seanad Éireann during the Order of Business, Senator Comyn requested a debate on whether local planning authorities require updated powers to safeguard town centre diversity. She pointed to a proliferation of vape shops in Drogheda and across County Louth, asking whether councils should be permitted to consider concentration and proximity rules for such businesses.

Senator Comyn referenced existing planning precedents where public health considerations apply, such as restrictions on fast-food outlets near schools. She suggested similar planning measures could address vape shops and excessive concentrations of other retail categories, including nail bars, barber shops, and mobile phone outlets, to support retail variety in towns and villages.