The planned introduction of legislation to regulate the use of sunbeds is vital in the fight against skin cancer, according to local Fianna Fáil TD and member of the Health Oireachtas Committee Margaret Conlon.

Deputy Conlon welcomed this week’s confirmation from the Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney TD that she will be introducing comprehensive legislation on the regulation of sunbeds this year. “Minister Harney has always been very forthright in her intentions to introduction legislation on the regulation of sunbeds as part of the overall Government cancer control agenda and it cannot come a moment too soon,” stated Deputy Conlon.

Minister Harney confirmed that she will seek Government approval later this month for the introduction of comprehensive legislation to regulate the entire sunbed industry. It is expected that the Bill will be introduced in the autumn. The legislation will take into account the recommendations of bodies such as the Irish Cancer Society, the National Cancer Control Programme and the World Health Organisation.

Deputy Conlon added that sunbeds were classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) placing sunbed use in the same category as environmental tobacco smoke. “There is no doubt that they pose incredible dangers to our health and I look forward to the introduction of the Government’s legislation,” she concluded.