James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Senators for their support. Some 850 new cases of melanoma are diagnosed every year and 150 people die every year from melanoma. Data from the HSE indicates that the cost of treating it ranges from €6,000 to €10,000 per patient but new treatments that have recently come on stream range from €50,000 to €100,000. The passage of this Bill is timely.

Men's health awareness week ran from 9 to I5 June and according to Men's Health Forum in Ireland, men experience a disproportionate burden of ill health and die too young. In this context the National Cancer Registry Ireland has indicated that in the next 25 years the incidence of melanoma is projected to rise by 175% for women and by a whopping 327% for men. We can change those horrifying projections by taking very simple measures. I would encourage everybody to take action to minimise their exposure to UV radiation.

I thank the Irish Cancer Society, the Marie Keating Foundation, the Environmental Health Association of Ireland, and let me restate what I said at their conferences, they are the unsung heroes of our health service. The work they do is below the radar but it saves many lives. This Bill will further enable them to protect our children against the danger of sunbed use.

I thank the industry representatives, the officials of my Department, the Environmental Health Service, the HSE, the National Cancer Control Programme, the members of the National Implementation Group and colleagues in both Houses. The contribution of all Members and that of the groups I have listed has ensured that we will have a robust tool to protect children and to inform adults about the dangers of sunbed use and the need to protect ourselves from deadly UV radiation.