Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raised this issue on Committee Stage. The purpose of the amendment is straightforward. I understand the complexities and difficulties it poses in respect of over-18s, who have freedom of choice. It is, however, important to table the amendments to highlight the need to address this issue. If it cannot be addressed in legislation, it should be addressed by some form of regulation that would impose obligations on sunbed operators emphatically to inform people with skin types 1 and 2 that they are more likely to contract melanomas by the use of sunbeds.

I know the Minister of State envisages this but the Irish Cancer Society has strongly urged us to highlight the issue because there may be a lack of awareness in the broad population of the dangers sunbeds pose to people, particularly those with skin types I and II. I, Deputy Ó Caoláin, the Irish Cancer Society and others who advocate awareness in the battle against various forms of skin cancer have made the point that there is still a lack of awareness among some cohorts of people of the dangers of excessive, or indeed any, use of sunbeds and from exposure to the sun. People do not take precautions, as we see time and again in summertime, even in Ireland where people are surprised to find that ultraviolet rays are present when it is cloudy. When we go abroad, we are obsessed with tanning to the point of endangering our health. For all those reasons there is merit in the thrust of these amendments to highlight our concern, and that of the Minister of State and the makers of public health policy, to develop some system that imposes a clear obligation - not one in small print but one that is well-defined and publicised - on sunbed operators to inform those more prone to contract skin cancers of the danger of exposure to ultraviolet radiation, particularly through using sunbeds. There should be an advertising campaign around this issue. We are all at one in advocating and supporting policies that cut down on the threat of developing cancers. We support the efforts made in public health policy on smoking, alcohol, where maybe more should be done, and sexually transmitted disease, and many other areas. This issue, however, seems to need a higher awareness level.

As we speak we are coming into a time when kids will be herded into tanning shops all over the country in preparation for first holy communion and confirmation. The Minister of State is as aware of this as I am. This Bill hopefully addresses the concern for those under age, putting inspection regimes in place with prosecutions for those who breach the legislation. I accept that people over 18 are entitled, and have a right, to use sunbeds. I tabled this amendment to hear the Minister of State’s response, given that the Minister said on Committee Stage he was very conscious of this and would take it on board in some way. I am anxious to hear the Minister of State’s response.

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