IRELAND IS facing a "skin cancer epidemic" that requires "urgent steps" to be taken to help reduce the number of people contracting this deadly disease.
That's according to the Irish Cancer Society (ICS), which is calling on the authorities to take immediate action to combat the problem.
There were 11,785 cases of skin cancer in Ireland in 2015, with 1,118 of these falling into the category of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.
According to figures published by the ICS, the number of skin cancer cases is projected to rise to as many as 18,989 by 2040, by conservative estimates.
Donal Buggy, Head of Services and Advocacy at the ICS, said: "Urgent steps need to be taken now to prevent skin cancer in Ireland into the future - including raising awareness of the dangers of sun exposure, and steps to further regulate the use of sunbeds, including a potential ban."
The Department of Health is already working on a national Skin Cancer Prevention Plan, with Mr. Buggy calling on the strategy to be published by the end of the year.
"There can be no room for delay in its publication," he added.
Several experts are citing Australia as an example to follow.
A public awareness campaign was launched there some 30 years ago and has resulted in a noticeable downward trend in melanoma cases among younger age groups.
A similarly comprehensive, fully-resourced plan is now being called for in Ireland.
