Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has announced a new raft of measures to restrict the use of sunbeds in Ireland.
From March 2, the ‘happy hour’ practice for commercial sunbeds, and their unlimited or free use, will be banned. Also, users will be required to wear protective eyewear, and will have to be supervised while using the service.
These latest measures come after the introduction of sunbed usage by those under the age of 18 last July.
According to figures released by the National Cancer Registry, there were over 10,000 cases of skin cancer in 2011. 850 new cases of melanoma are reported in Ireland each year, with over 150 Irish people dying from the disease every year.