Sunscreen dispensers at lifeguard stations piloted at two popular Cork beaches

Fountainstown and Garrettstown have seen sunscreen dispensers installed on the side of their lifeguard station, with the dispensers working similarly to those used for hand sanitiser but filled with factor 50 SPF instead.

It is part of the HSE’s annual SunSmart campaign to remind people of the simple ways they can enjoy the sun safely while protecting their skin from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

A HSE spokesperson explained: “We sometimes think Irish sun ‘isn’t real sun’, but skin cancer is our most common type of cancer in Ireland today, with over 11,000 cases diagnosed annually.

“People often think it is the sun’s heat that causes skin cancer, but in fact it is UV rays from the sun which cannot be seen or felt that cause the damage.

“This number is projected to more than double by 2045. Yet in most cases, skin cancers could be prevented by protecting skin from the sun’s UV rays and not using sunbeds.”

While UV rays from the sun are strongest from April to September, even on cooler and cloudy days UV radiation levels can be high enough to damage skin and increase the risk of skin cancer.

As part of the SunSmart campaign, a cancer prevention officer in Cork Kerry Community Healthcare offered training to this season’s lifeguards through the water safety officer.

Both Fountainstown and Garrettstown expressed interest in piloting the sunscreen dispensers, and they were delivered in early July.

The HSE spokesperson added: “The plan is to follow up at the end of the season and gather some feedback on their use.”

Carrigaline councillor Ben Dalton O’Sullivan said that he was delighted to see the scheme being piloted at the beach, saying: “It’s like a hand sanitiser dispenser but for sunscreen, and it’s attached to the lifeguard station.

“We’re all used to seeing sanitiser dispensers since covid, they’re all over the place, and even though we’re not experiencing a lot of sun this summer, skin cancer can still affect us.

“Every family is affected by cancer, so bringing awareness to the fact that people should be wearing something to protect them even if it feels like we have no sun.

“I think it’s a great idea.”