There’s been a lot of debate recently around the Government’s proposed nationwide ban on sunbeds in Ireland. Public health officials, including the Minister of State for Public Health and the Chief Medical Officer, say no level of sunbed use is safe and that a ban is necessary to reduce skin cancer rates.  

 But those working within the industry strongly disagree. The Sunbed Association of Ireland, which represents regulated sunbed businesses across the country, says an outright ban could actually do more harm than good - pushing tanning underground into unsafe and unregulated environments.  

 To talk through both the concerns and the counter-arguments, Valerie is joined by Melissa Griffin, owner of Darque Tanning Studio in Carlow Town and a member of the Sunbed Association of Ireland, who is campaigning against the proposed ban.