The representative body for the sunbed industry has challenged the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to produce evidence that sunbeds cause skin cancer.
The VAT rate on sunbed services was increased from 13.5 per cent to 23 per cent in Budget 2018, with Mr Donohoe saying the move was in line with the Government’s National Cancer Strategy. It was taken, he said, “in recognition of the clear evidence of a link between sunbeds and skin cancer.”
The Sunbed Association for UK and Ireland said it "totally refutes" the notion sunbed usage causes skin cancer and that "responsible" sunbed use posed no threat.
"There is no scientific evidence that is published that will demonstrate a casual link between responsible UV tanning on a sunbed and melanoma," spokeswoman Gill Perkins said.
She said Ireland had some of the most restrictive laws on sunbed usage in Europe following the passage of the Public Health (Sunbed) Act in 2014 which prohibits under-18s from using sunbeds or the public in general from using them without supervision.
