A Junior Health Minister has said she would support a complete ban on tanning beds in Ireland. 

Mary Butler said there is no safe level of UV radiation and the EU is considering further restrictions on sunbed use. 

Minister Butler was diagnosed with skin cancer two years ago and described the moment as a wake up call. 

Speaking to Seán Defoe's Let Me Explain podcast, she said a tan ban is something she would support. 

“One of the things we have to have is that if you’re using a sunbed, there has to be time limits for usage,” she said. 

“You can’t have the same person coming in and using the bed for a long length of time several days a week. 

“If there was a sunbed ban announced in the morning, I would absolutely support it.” 

Skin cancer

Anyone who uses a sunbed increases their risk of melanoma by 20% and for under 35s that figure rises to 60%. 

Under 18s are currently banned from using sunbeds but some TDs believe further restrictions are needed in order to bring down skin cancer rates. 

“A lot of people feel that you would drive it into the black market and that it will be completely unregulated,” Minister Butler said. 

“But look, I just think there’s no safe limit when it comes to UV radiation from sunbeds. 

“There’s no immediate plan here to ban these sunbeds in Ireland for 18s [but] as I was saying, if it was introduced I would fully support it.” 

Almost 10,000 people are diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer every year.

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Main image: Man on a sunbed. Picture by: Alamy.com