Fianna Fáil TD for Roscommon–Galway, Dr. Martin Daly, has called for a “calculated ban” on sunbeds, stressing that “any ban must have public buy-in if we are serious about changing Ireland’s attitude to the sun once and for all”.
Speaking, Dr. Martin Daly TD stated: “Sunbeds are not cosmetic devices, they are cancer-causing machines. That is not hyperbole. The science is clear and unforgiving: even a single sunbed session increases your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma by 67 per cent, basal cell carcinoma by 29 per cent, and melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer, by 20 per cent.
“These figures should alarm anyone, but having spent years as a medical doctor, I can tell you those numbers stand out in any clinical field. Melanoma is not a slow-burning disease. Once it spreads, survival rates plummet.
“In Ireland, we are far too relaxed about sun damage; that mindset has to change. The dangers are clear, especially with sunbeds. But to act effectively, we need the public on board. That is why the consultation launched by Minister Jennifer Murnane O’Connor is not just welcome, it is essential.
“We cannot regulate or legislate in the dark. We need accurate data on the extent of sunbed use, both in homes and in commercial settings. Public consultation is the only responsible way forward, because it brings people with us, rather than pushing them away.”
According to the 2022 Healthy Ireland Survey, 18 per cent of the Irish population report having used a sunbed at some point in their lives, with three per cent using them either regularly or occasionally.
“What that means is that nearly one in five people in Ireland have increased their risk of developing skin cancer, some without even realising it. While it is difficult to put an exact figure on it, treating sunbed-related cancers undoubtedly carries a significant cost to taxpayers.
“We have a responsibility to legislate based on evidence, and the evidence could not be clearer. Allowing sunbeds to remain legal in Ireland, in full knowledge of the damage they cause, is a failure of public health policy.”
Concluding, Dr. Daly TD stated: “Let me be absolutely clear: this ban must happen. Not in five years. Not in ten. It must happen now. But we must do it right, with public understanding, with cultural awareness, and with a full grasp of the scale of the problem. This is about saving lives, plain and simple. If we are serious about that, we must start by banning sunbeds once and for all.”
