Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

Money is the usual problem. We have asked the Minister repeatedly to introduce grants to assist with the cost of remediation where required. I am not referring to testing for radon as this involves a relatively small sum of money. Last year the Department sent back €154 million which it did not spend to the Department of Finance. It sent back another €17 million pertaining to disabled persons' grants because it did not spend it. Therefore, there is no question of the Department not having the money.

Some 200 people are dying per year because of the radon problem. Their medical treatment is costing the State €200 million per year. The average cost of treating a lung cancer patient, from the time he or she is diagnosed with cancer to the time he or she dies, is €1 million per year, given that such patients usually die of cancer. Radon poisoning is costing the State a fortune. I ask the Minister to remedy the problem with a relatively small sum of money. The problem is, as I am sure the Minister will agree, that there are or should be two Departments involved — the Departments of Health and Children and Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

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