Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
9. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Health if he will ban tanning sunbeds outright, given the serious and increased risk of incidences of skin cancer. which is supported by scientific evidence linking skin cancer and tanning sunbed usage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1874/24]
View answerMy question is in relation to skin cancer and the link that we now know relates to tanning beds. This has come to my attention primarily from a woman in the southeast, from the same neck of the woods as the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Butler. I want the opportunity for us to discuss this further.
I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. The National Cancer Registry Ireland reported that about one quarter of all cancers diagnosed between 2019 and 2021 were non melanoma skin cancers.
Melanoma of skin accounted for one in 20 of the remaining invasive cancers diagnosed and one in 50 of cancer deaths every year. It is very important that anyone who has any concern should contact their GP. I am engaged directly with the dermatology services, which are a critical part of this, as are oncology services, to make sure people get rapid access.
To respond to the Deputy's point, it is acknowledged there is no safe limit for exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunbeds when it comes to risk of cancer. The national skin cancer prevention plan, which runs from 2023 to 2026, sets out the national actions to tackle our high rates of skin cancer. It uses a multidisciplinary approach through education, public awareness and behavioural change. Under the public health sunbeds legislation, a range of measures are enforced by the HSE.
In addition, as Deputy Funchion is aware, the EU is looking at this. Its response to tackling cancer is set out in its beating cancer plan. Action 18 is relevant to this discussion. It has measures to prevent exposure to ultraviolet radiation and this includes sunbeds. These are being considered by the EU. Departmental officials are working with the European Commission subgroup on cancer under the public health expert group. My understanding is that the recommendations are expected to be published prior to the end of March.
I thank the Minister. I acknowledge a particular woman, Laura, who brought this to my attention. There are also others who campaign with her. It is probably an issue about which we do not speak a lot. When we say it people ask what is the problem. We can look at how much we now know about smoking and cigarettes and their links to cancer. We have the images on packaging now. With regard to sunbeds, however, while I acknowledge there are some measures it is widely felt that often they do not go far enough. Are they actually being implemented? Among the suggestions is to have a database to which everyone running a sunbed facility must sign up. Sometimes people go into one particular place for ten minutes and then go down the road somewhere else for another ten minutes. We know this happens. If there were a database to which people had to sign up it would limit usage. With regard to ID there is still an issue with very young teenage girls. I will discuss this in my next supplementary question.
I thank Deputy Funchion. It is something on which, between the legislation we have and the EU's ongoing work, we can go further. As I said, one in every four diagnosed cancers is a non-melanoma skin cancer. It is a significant issue. When I was a much younger man with a full head of hair I went to Australia and lived in Bondi Beach. There was a level of awareness there about skin cancer that did not exist in Ireland. To this day we do not have the level of awareness they had 28 years ago when I was there. More can be done. This is why we launched the recent plan.
Sunbed businesses are regulated here under a 2014 Act. The Department tells me the regulations we have are among the most comprehensive in the EU but there is a question as to whether enforcement could go further and whether awareness could go further.
I am glad to hear the Minister acknowledge this because it is very important. I agree it probably is an enforcement issue, certainly with regard to ID and some of what I suggested regarding having a database. We could also do a lot more with schools and transition year and use this opportunity to educate and create awareness. Many people think there is no harm in it. There is still the myth that it rains most of the time in this country so how could a little bit of sun be that detrimental. However, given our levels of skin cancer and the number of people who pass away from it, we need to do an awful lot more.
Will the Minister consider meeting the group I mentioned? It is a small group, mainly of women, who feel very strongly because they were not told all the negative aspects. To this day they are finding tumours that they are being told are very much linked to sunbed use in the past. Will the Minister consider meeting them to discuss ideas and suggestions on this? I know they would like to see a straight outright ban. We would probably have to take steps. I welcome that the EU is taking measures. If the Minister could speak more on what steps the EU might be taking I would appreciate it.
I thank the Deputy. With regard to the EU's recommendations we need to wait to see. However, the general sense is that it is considering restricting access for high-risk groups, the mandatory supervision of the commercial use of sunbeds, the provision of mandatory eye protection, and increasing awareness by providing information on the risks associated. I have asked the Chief Medical Officer and her team to engage in a new public health strategy, including prevention. This would be one of the parts of this. There is the legislation we have and the EU recommendations that will be coming out. Ongoing preventative work, with a refresh of Healthy Ireland and a greater emphasis on prevention in Ireland, which we have to achieve, could fit in quite well to this.
