Minister Murnane O’Connor invites children to enter the Get SunSmart! Art Competition
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From: Department of Health
- Published on: 14 April 2026
- Last updated on: 14 April 2026
Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD has today launched the fifth annual Get SunSmart! Art Competition.
The competition which is run in partnership between Healthy Ireland and the National Cancer Control Programme in the HSE, is open to all pre-school and primary school aged children and will run until Friday 22 May 2026.
The aim of this competition is to raise awareness of the SunSmart 5Ss, the simple key protective behaviours that we all need to take to protect our skin from the sun, and to help make them part of our daily routines.
Follow the SunSmart 5Ss, especially from April to September, even on cloudy days:
Slip on clothing that covers your skin such as wearing long sleeves and collared t-shirts.
Slop on broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30+ for adults and 50+ for children, with high UVA protection. Reapply regularly.
Slap on a hat with a wide brim: Protect your face, ears and neck.
Seek shade: Sit in cover of trees to avoid direct sunlight and use a sunshade on your buggy or pram. Keep babies and children out of direct sunlight.
Slide on sunglasses to protect your eyes.
Minister Murnane O’Connor said:
“Making skin protection part of our daily routines from an early age can have a huge impact on skin health as we age. Exposure to UV radiation in childhood is particularly harmful as children’s skin is more vulnerable to damage, leading to an increased risk of developing skin cancer in later life.
“Skin cancer is our most common cancer in Ireland with over 11,000 new cases diagnosed each year, and yet it is almost entirely preventable. By introducing good skin protection habits in our young people, we are taking a huge step in helping to reduce skin cancer rates
“This competition offers a way for children to combine their creativity with learning about sun safety and I very much look forward to seeing the results of all their hard work. The very best of luck to all.”
Depending on their age group children will be tasked with either colouring SunSmart colouring sheets or for the first time ever, the older categories (2nd to 4th Class, and 5th and 6th Class) will be asked to create their own SunSmart Superhero Squad, using the SunSmart 5Ss as inspiration.
There are four competition categories. All category winners will receive an Office of Public Works (OPW) Family Heritage Card, a Family Day Pass for Dublin Zoo, a National Book Token worth €20 and a SunSmart goodie bag.
For more information and details on how to enter go to www.gov.ie/getsunsmart.
Notes:
The Get SunSmart! Art Competition is part of the SunSmart campaign, an initiative under the National Skin Cancer Prevention Plan 2023-2026. It uses a range of platforms to highlight its core messages about skin protective behaviours. More information on SunSmart is available at www.hse.ie/sunsmart.