Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I am glad it is not being opposed and is being welcomed on both sides of the House.

Sunbeds are cancer-causing agents and, as with the case of tobacco, the State has a duty to act in respect of all such agents. Previous speakers noted Government action on the control of tobacco in the workplace. This legislation is another positive development which brings Ireland into line with other states both in the European Union and further afield. It also adopts the recommendations made by the World Health Organization on sunbed use, especially by children. Children are being exposed to ultraviolet radiation in an unregulated manner. When a conflict arises between individual rights and the public good, the Government must err on the side of the public good by introducing regulation.

Children of seven and eight years preparing to make their first holy communion are being exposed to ultraviolet radiation in an unregulated manner. This has the potential to cause serious short-term and long-term problems. I find it difficult to understand how a parent could expose his or her child to the possibility of developing skin cancer for the sake of appearing tanned or standing out from his or her peers in a photograph at a religious ceremony. This practice, which Deputies will be familiar with from their constituencies, is wrong and must be stopped. It is a sad reflection on society that legislation of this nature must be introduced to protect children.

In 2012, 156 people died from melanomas and 7,000 others contracted melanomas and survived. Clearly, not all of these cancers can be ascribed to the use of sunbeds and some will have been caused by exposure to other forms of ultraviolet radiation. It is not pleasant to watch someone die from skin cancer. I speak from personal experience as my uncle died of skin cancer and secondary cancers. It is not a nice experience. Children are essentially being placed in what could be described as a microwave oven and cooked from the outside in to look good on a photograph. Government action to address this practice is long overdue. The Bill is, therefore, appropriate.

I welcome the proposal to regulate sunbed use for people aged over 18 years. If adults wish to continue to use sunbeds, so be it, but the Bill provides that they will do so in a regulated environment. As previous speakers noted, there is little point introducing legislation if it is not enforced by health authorities at local level or the Health Service Executive. The legislation must be enforced in a manner that is mindful that people make a living from sunbeds, which are a legitimate business. The position here is similar to the position in respect of cigarettes. One cannot have shops selling cigarettes to ten and 11 year old children or treat children of that age the same as 18 year olds. This is the kernel of the Bill.

We must consider the broader of issue of respecting the sun. The weather of recent days makes discussion of the sun appear irrelevant. We should contrast the programmes introduced in Australia to protect children from ultraviolet radiation from the sun with what is being done here. One of the advertisements running on television illustrates the Irish mentality in matters relating to sun. As soon as a ray of sunlight appears, everybody togs off and tries to get a good burn to ensure they have a tan. This mentality must be changed through education programmes that show people that exposure to ultraviolet radiation increases the risk of dying from a painful condition, namely, skin cancer. As was the case with the tobacco industry, we must appreciate the effects of ultraviolet radiation and exposure to the sun. We must cop on and accept that sunbeds have the potential to cause serious damage.

This is welcome if overdue legislation as it is probably being introduced too late for many people who may have been exposed to radiation from sunbeds in an unregulated environment. It is a start and I hope the Minister and his officials will make arrangements to ensure it is properly enforced.

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