Vol. 508 No. 2
50 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to concern among the medical profession regarding the widespread overuse of sunbeds; if he will confirm that there are no regulations covering these; if he will give early consideration to the introduction of these regulations; if he will introduce a prohibition on the use of sunbeds by children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18321/99]
Existing consumer legislation sets standards for tanning equipment and requires appropriate warning notices to be displayed on the equipment.
The advice given by the Department of Health and Children is that sunbeds should be used in moderation and that people should seek the advice of their family doctor before doing so for the first time. In certain circumstances exposure to sunbeds may constitute a hazard. Sunbeds should not be used by children under 18, persons who burn easily or tan poorly, those taking drugs or cosmetics thought to be photoactive, those suffering from skin disorders induced or aggravated by exposure to sunlight, those with a history of skin cancer and those with risk factors for cutaneous melanoma. A consumer information sheet on possible risks from tanning equipment and the appropriate precautions to take is available to the public from the Irish Cancer Society.
Sunbeds are widely used in beauty salons by beauty therapists who offer cosmetic tanning as part of their services. Guidelines on the use of sunbeds in beauty salons were drawn up by the Society of Applied Cosmetology which represents beauty therapists. These guidelines incorporate advice from the Irish Medical Organisation and the Irish Cancer Society on appropriate precautions to be taken by sunbed operators to protect the health of clients.
I have no plans at present to introduce legislation banning the use of sunbeds. However, I will shortly be publishing a proposal for a national environmental health action plan. This plan will, I believe, offer a possible framework for empowering health boards to introduce local rules in matters such as this.
