Suncream causes cancer claim by Kildare politician is hotly disputed

A claim that some sun creams are carcinogenic was hotly refuted at a Kildare County Council meeting.

The issue arose when Fine Gael councillor Peggy O’Dwer asked KCC, in conjunction with Kildare Sports Partnership, to explore “the installation of sunscreen dispensers at various sporting facilities.”

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Cllr O’Dwyer was disappointed that KCC said it “has no plans to install (these)” and added “there are no resources to put them in place or maintain them.”

Instead KCC recommended that the public “take individual responsibility for sun protection.”

She said In Ireland, skin cancer is the most common cancer, with over 11,000 cases diagnosed annually, split between over 10,000 non-melanoma cases and over 1,000 melanoma cases. 

Cllr O'Dwyer added the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) predicts that these numbers could double by 2045, highlighting a need for prevention and awareness.  

She said the public is more exposed to damaging UV rays because of climate change and added that Cork County Council had  provided dispensers at four parks. She said children are at risk and sunscreen is expensive.

Cllr Tom McDonnell said some creams, though not all, are "dangerous and carcinogenic" and “need to be looked at.”

Cllr O’Dwyer refuted this and said the number of cancer cases caused by the sun is rising and we need to follow the science, which says to use sunscreen.

She asked Cllr McDonnell to withdraw the comment which she described as “outrageous” but he refused saying that “we followed the science through Covid adn the graveyards are full.”

KCC official Celina Barrett said KCC is awaiting feedback from the Cork County Council initiative.