Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The pioneering designer and fashion icon, Coco Chanel, has a lot to answer for because in the 1920s she popularised the idea of tanning. At that stage the sun was promoted to represent pleasure, relaxation and, obviously, good health. We all want to look our best and people will often go to any lengths to do so. Self-image is particularly important for young women and the cult of tanning has led to an obsession with being brown, not just during the summer, but all of the time. This is at the expense of health and encourages increased incidence of skin cancer and other related issues.

It is estimated that a staggering 140,000 people in Ireland use sunbeds, of whom 20% are aged between 15 and 24. There is anecdotal evidence that parents send children as young as seven for sun-tanning sessions, particularly in advance of their First Holy Communion. What is that about? The world has gone mad if mothers are sending their seven-year old children to sun-tanning salons to make them look good on the day of their First Holy Communion. Are we so concerned about how we look on the outside that we completely ignore the health risks and effects this treatment has on our bodies?

We need to focus on the statistics and get the information out there. I cannot believe that any mother would knowingly do something like that to her child if she knew the risks. Every year 8,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer, of whom 896 are diagnosed with melanoma, which is the most serious form of skin cancer. Some 156 people died of skin cancer last year and 148 in the previous year; the problem is growing. How many more statistics do we need to see in stark detail the extreme damage caused beneath the surface when people lie underneath these machines? We need to stave off the temptation to hit the sunbeds by showing people the ugly truth beneath the tan. As long as sunbeds are available to the public, we clearly need legislation to reduce the risks associated with their use and therefore I am very pleased to support the Bill.

The research has already shown that people, who use sunbeds for the first time before the age of 35, increase the risk of contracting malignant melanoma by 87%. They are not going to do someone any good. In the very best-case scenario they will age and damage a person's skin and in the worst-case scenario will cause death. The Bill will ensure that any sunbed operator will be banned from allowing anyone under the age of 18 from using them. The operator's premises will need to be licensed and staff trained. The sale or hire of sunbeds online will be controlled. The HSE will be mandated to carry out inspections. Penalties and fines will be levied on operators for non-compliance. I agree with some of the previous speakers who have said that the penalties are not large enough. They need to be sufficiently large for people to take them seriously.

Sunbed operators will be required to provide goggles and sunbeds must be maintained in a clean and hygienic condition with appropriate warnings and sidelines for those people who want to continue to use them. In addition there will be a ban on claims that attribute health benefits to sunbed use and a ban on promotional marketing practices.

The number of cases of skin cancer in this country is rising every year. Regulations such as this are very welcome and will in time reduce the rate of skin cancer. The Bill is literally a lifesaver and I congratulate the Minister on bringing it to the House.

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