Underage teenagers are to be sent into sunbed premises where they will attempt to buy a sunbed session, the Department of Health has confirmed.

Since last year, the department has introduced a raft of measures aimed at reducing sunbed use, including a ban on ‘unlimited' or ‘free' use of sunbeds. Those under the age of 18 are also banned from using them.

As part of that specific measure, the Health Minister, Leo Varadkar, has issued ‘Test Purchase Guidelines' for the sale, use or hire of sunbeds to those under the age of 18. These guidelines will allow the Environmental Health Services to send teenagers aged between 15 and 17 into sunbed premises where they will try to buy a sunbed session.

Similar test purchase programmes have already proven successful when it comes to the sale of alcohol and tobacco.

"With the commencement of the test purchasing programme, the HSE's Environmental Health Services will have an extra tool in their overall enforcement programme to combat the sale, use or hire of sunbeds to minors. These guidelines are intended to help the Services to enforce the Public Health (Sunbeds) Act and protect young people from the dangers associated with the use of sunbeds," commented Minister Varadkar.

Skin cancer is currently the most common type of cancer in Ireland, with over 10,000 people being newly diagnosed every year. Around 850 of these will develop melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer.

Studies have shown that the risk of melanoma after any sunbed use is 20% higher, and this increases to 59% among those who were under the age of 35 when they used sunbeds.

Minister Varadkar said that the object of this programme is to determine whether a sunbed business is complying with the law, ‘not to trap that business into committing an offence'.

"In this regard, the test purchaser must answer all questions about their age truthfully," he noted.

Commenting on the new programme, Dr Maurice Mulcahy of the HSE said that it is essential that those working in sunbed premises verify the age of customers.

"This can be done quite simply by checking such documents as age cards, passports or driving licences. The new test purchase guidelines will enable us to verify if these essential checks are taking place and thereby ensuring the protection of children from the health risks associated with ultra violet radiation from sunbeds," he explained.

He added that test purchases will begin ‘in the near future'.