Cork councillor hails dispenser rollout for sunscreen

While the installation of sunscreen dispensers in public buildings might seem like a small gesture, a member of Cork County Council has said its impact could have significant and positive health results.

Fine Gael councillor Aileen Browne, who was co-opted to the council following the election of Kanturk-based TD John Paul O’Shea, proposed that the local authority would install sunscreen dispensers in all county council offices and libraries to help normalise its application and strive to reduce the incidence of skin cancer in Ireland.

Ms Browne also sought the support of her councillor colleagues for a letter to be written to the health minister, seeking to provide dedicated funding to all local authorities and government departments to install dispensers in all public buildings such as schools and third- level institutions.

“Skin cancer is now the most common cancer in Ireland,” said Ms Browne, who pointed out that over 11,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. “Projections suggest that, by 2045, the number of melanoma cases alone will more than double in both men and women.

“This is not a distant threat. It is already on our doorstep.

Ms Browne acknowledged that while Ireland was not “a sun-drenched country,” she said: “Fair skin, unpredictable weather, and low awareness make for a dangerous combination, and while clouds may block the warmth, they do not block UV rays. Your skin can burn, even when the sun is hidden.”

She described the proposal to install sunscreen dispensers in public buildings as a “gentle reminder that your health matters, your life matters”.

She said that it also made sense financially as it cost the health service €122,000 to treat each case of skin cancer.

“Compare that to just over €4,000 for early-stage treatment,” she said. “Prevention doesn’t just save lives — it saves resources.”