Tax Code
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-07
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Jerry Buttimer (FG), Cork South-Central

Again, I thank Senator Byrne for raising this very important issue. I appreciate the importance of it for so many people. She is right that skin cancer is prevalent, and we are seeing that much more now with climate change. She is right that sunscreen is an important part of safeguarding our skin against sun damage and skin cancer. Her advocacy this morning stresses not just the value of wearing sunscreen but also that we need to be a bit more hands-on and take a more common-sense approach in the context of VAT. Sunscreen is not a cosmetic or a toiletry. It is a pharmaceutical product for the prevention of skin cancer. I regret that the VAT applied is at a rate of 23%. That is a matter for the European Commission. It would do no harm to engage with EU Commissioner, former Deputy Michael McGrath, and other Commissioners on the matter.
Senator Byrne's work on this issue is important, and she should not be put off by this morning's reply. More and more people are being diagnosed with skin cancer, and it is becoming common across Europe. While being diagnosed with melanoma may not be as catastrophic as it once was, it is still not a nice diagnosis to get. We need to continue to highlight both the ongoing risk of and ways to prevent skin cancer. This is one way of doing it. I again thank the Senator for raising this matter. I look forward to working with her further on it.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-07/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:54+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-07