A tanning salon operated by a sister of former MMA fighter Conor McGregor has been spared a court conviction for selling a sunbed treatment to a 16-year-old girl without checking her age or ID.
Stop N Glow Limited, run by Aoife McGregor, located at Bridgefoot Street in the Liberties in Dublin, pleaded guilty last month to breaking public health laws by providing the treatment to a minor acting as a test buyer.
Dublin District Court heard that the employee responsible has been sacked.
Judge Anthony Halpin had ordered the firm to pay €1,000 costs and to donate a further €500 to the Little Flower Penny Dinners charity in Dublin.
The prosecution brought by the HSE resumed today.
Solicitor Rianne Keaveney, for the HSE, informed Judge Halpin that the case was listed for finalisation and she confirmed that the costs and donation had been paid.
Judge Halpin applied the Probation of Offenders Act.
Ms McGregor was not required to attend the proceedings but her firm was represented by counsel Eimear Dooley (instructed by solicitor Wayne Kenny)
At the prior hearing, the company secretary, William Whelan, was present and indicated that the firm wished to enter a guilty plea.
In a brief outline of the prosecution evidence, Ms Keaveney said the case arose from the sale of a sunbed at the premises on 29 October, to a "minor volunteer".
The court heard the test buyer entered the premises and a "three-minute sunbed was sold for €3.90 without being questioned about her age or asked for ID".
Judge Halpin noted that the firm had no prior convictions.
Ms Dooley furnished the court with copies of the firm's policy document and advertisements, and stated that "the employee responsible for this has since been dismissed".
"It is something the company takes very seriously and indicates that it would not be happening again," she added.
The HSE solicitor referred to the World Health Organization's findings on the link between sunbeds and cancer.
The offence is contrary to the 2014 Public Health (Sunbeds) Act.
The HSE had sought an order for €2,880 in costs from preparing the case, including the witness statements and disclosure.
However, Judge Halpin held that this amount was not comparable with the gravity of the offence.
