Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have learned a lot in dealing with this legislation. It has really opened my eyes. It was my intention to do as Deputy Stanley proposed and introduce a national scheme to deal with radon gas and I was determined to do it. It has been kicked around for long enough. We are talking about five or six deaths every week, never mind the number of people who end up in hospital and in treatment for this on top of that. It is a huge drain on the resources of the State. For small money we can have a massive impact on health outcomes in this country. There is absolutely no argument on that. I have spent the past 12 months trying to put a scheme in place but because of the legislation that was enacted in 2002, it is not possible for me to do that unless I amend the 2002 Act with a detailed scheme. I have learned that by putting something into legislation it makes it more difficult to do the right thing. That is why we are looking at a very tight and quick pilot to look at how a scheme would run effectively in order that we can come back, amend the legislation and bring forward a proper scheme to cover every home in the country, whether rental or owner occupied.

Following on from Deputy Eamon Ryan's point, the advice I have is I cannot put a statutory provision in this legislation. As a result of my experience of the scheme that is already there, I am very slow to put in place a statutory provision that could complicate matters when getting this scheme up and running in the future. There should not be any reason not to have a reporting structure in place. I will not try to impede it. I am quite willing to look at it again. I am also quite willing to look at any suggestions or examples of where there is a statutory provision. I have no difficulty providing the information. It is not an issue. I am committing, as Minister, that the information will be laid before the Oireachtas and will be circulated to members of the committee. I have absolutely no problem if members want to come in and have a broader debate on the implementation of the radon strategy and go through it. I have no difficulty with that. I have a difficulty with writing it in black and white without a statutory footing in place. That difficulty arises as a result of the legal advice I got and from my experience with the 2002 scheme, which is not fit for purpose and which is now creating a barrier to me implementing a scheme across the country.

To answer Deputy Ryan's question, the areas identified across the country are identified by the Geological Survey of Ireland, GSI. It has identified from geology where the red zones and amber zones are. We will look at it again. If the Deputies have suggestions I am quite happy to look at them. The advice I have is I cannot write it into statute without a legal provision being there but I am quite willing and give a commitment here to circulate the reports when they become available.