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TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has backed calls from within his party for tanning beds to be banned on health grounds.
However, no timeline for legislation is yet in place.
Martin said the evidence around sunbeds and cancer is very strong and therefore the action “must be banning”.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland with over 13,000 new cases diagnosed every year.
By 2040, the National Cancer Registry of Ireland expects this number to double.
When asked if he would support a ban this week, Martin responded: “I would. They are carcinogenic.”
The Tánaiste and leader of Fianna Fáil is responsible for implementing Ireland’s ban on indoor smoking in 2004 while he was Minister for Health.
“I faced this fundamental moral question when we did the smoking ban many years ago.
“When the report came back and said passive smoking was a carcinogen, it causes cancer, then the action had to be very clear in response.
It is similar to asbestos. We had to deal with asbestos.
“If the evidence, and the evidence is very strong around sunbeds and cancer, then the action is clear. The action has to be banning that. It is injurious to the health of people.
“That is why I would support a ban very clearly,” the Tánaiste said.
As it stands, a person must be over 18 to use sunbeds in Ireland, but medical professionals and researchers say a full ban is needed.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast earlier this year, Professor Caitríona Ryan explained that one session on a sunbed can increase the risk of skin cancer by 60%.
According to The Irish Cancer Society, 7% of the population use sunbeds, with 3% using them as frequently as once a week.
“Public health measures have worked in many areas in improving the quality of life, reducing illness and death.
“I would have to work with the respective ministers and I don’t want to give specific timelines now. But I think a decision needs to be agreed in principle on that,” the Tánaiste said.
A recent study from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda found that there are currently 365 tanning salons nationwide.
The Tánaiste comments come after Fianna Fáil Cork TD Christopher O’Sullivan called for an outright ban on tanning beds earlier this month in Dáil Éireann.
O’Sullivan noted that Australia banned commercial tanning beds in 2016 and said it is “long past time” Ireland follows suit.
Responding to O’Sullivan’s comments in the Dáil, Taoiseach Simon Harris – also a former Minister for Health – said he agreed with him about the dangers.
He said he was supportive of taking further action and would seek the view of current Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
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well as long as DOB doesn’t get it,
He may be a friend of DOB, some digging needs to be to be done on this,and not the water meter kind.
Guess who does all the UPC installations
Do you have Sky or UPC. Doesn’t make a difference actually becuase they work for both company’s along with the ESB. Does this mean now that you are going to cut off your electricity becuase of the dreaded Dennis O Briens company works for them.
What’s your point Henry? The man has got his fingers stuck in as many pies as possible. He was deemed corrupt by the Moriarty Tribunal. We are entitled to shout “Stop”.
If Liberty want to buy it, it has to be passed by the regulator but if DOB Wants to buy it, it doesn’t ??
Where does it say that it doesn’t have to be passed to the regulator if INM buys it? Surely that would be MORE likely to happen given INM already own such a large array of media outlets?
Where does it say it does have to be passed.
They bought Tv3 for 265m in 2006. 265 million. LoL.
upc has to have the worst customer service I have ever encountered. they might as well just call over and slap you in tbe face. between 9 and 1 and 1 a d 6 of course
I am sure Denis O’Brien will get first shout as is normal when doing business in Ireland.
Anyone but Dob
all assets should be seized from d o Brien, and he should be banned from this country.
Hope this is the case as DOB also has his eyes set on tv3 also reports are saying
It pays to read the whole article before commenting…
“Meanwhile, Independent News and Media (INM), in which billionaire Denis O’Brien is the biggest shareholder, has also been flagged as a possible TV3 buyer after the company said it planned to spend up to €100 million on acquisitions.
However the media company has since described the move as “highly unlikely” and added there hadn’t been any talks between INM and TV3′s owners.”
If INM have €100m to spend and TV3 was worth €265m in 2006, it seems unlikely they’d be able to afford it?
I can proudly say, I don’t watch anything on that awful channel. TV at its absolute worst.
It’s better than utv
Only slightly. Utv Ireland is terrible though.
Denis O Brien already has too much power
John Malone is as bad as DOB! Why the sudden interest in tv3 you may ask? It’s the only tv station that is not run with a hidden agenda and is not controlled by the powers to be! The main reason TV3 is wanted is because of Vincent Browne! He is outspoken has no axe to grind and puts irish politicians through their paces! The rest of the media are just a front for the government and the powers to be to tell the people only what they need to hear and hide the reality of what is really going on! As I said JM and DOB are of the same breed! Nuff said!!
surely DOB shouldn’t be allowed to acquire this … narrowing competition etc.
Did you read the article? INM are not looking to purchase tv3.
I hope Donald Trump buys it, fires Vincent brown an replaces him with a syndication of Glenn Beck’s show.
Vincent Browne is the single best thing about TV3. He’s rare in Irish journalism in that he treats politicians of all parties (and none) in the same manner.
trump tv. it will just be about barac obama and weather he is an american citizen. right wing news glenn beck the guy who tries to legitimise the war on Palestine. no thank you between thegun loving texas ranger and the zionist. jesus they would do your head in give me Vincent Brown any day of the week no hidden agenda.
Dreadful TV station. Either that or the programmes are not aimed at my geographic. Most people I know don’t watch TV anyway. They are all over the Internet. The television era is coming to an end. The golden age has been way behind us for some time now. All things must pass.
Sell it might get soaps in HD
That sentence makes no sense!
TV3? …is that still on – air? ?
have your say