Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent)
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765. To ask the Minister for Health if he will include the restrictions on sunbed use to persons with type one and type two skin in the Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55409/13]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My view is that there should be a ban on the sale or hire of sunbeds to those under 18 years of age and also a ban on the use of sunbeds in commercial premises by those under 18 years of age. Adults should be given sufficient information and advice to allow them to make informed choices about sunbed use. In this regard, there are a number of measures proposed in the Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill 2013, which was published in December 2013, including the provision of information on the risks associated with sunbed use and warning signs, which will enable adults to make informed choices.

The advice available to me is that cohorts of the adult population at increased risk from ultra-violet radiation can best be dealt with by way of regulation rather than a prohibition. My Department has also been advised that prohibition based on certain skin types would, in all likelihood, be incompatible with equality legislation.