John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The Government's approach to radon is to concentrate efforts on increasing public awareness of the risks posed by radon in the home. This is similar to the approach adopted in the majority of EU member states.

The Government, largely through the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, has worked towards assessing the extent of the radon problem throughout the country, and advising people of the steps they can take to reduce any risk they may face. Householders, particularly those in known high radon areas, have been strongly encouraged by the RPII to have their homes tested for radon and to undertake remediation works where necessary. The RPII has carried out targeted information campaigns in high radon areas and in some instances where particularly high radon levels have been found it has written directly to householders. Since the completion of the National Radon Survey in 1999, the RPII has completed radon measurements in an additional 22,000 homes.

My Department will continue to work closely with the RPII, local authorities and other interested agencies to raise public awareness and to promote testing and remediation works. This multi-agency approach to dealing with radon is in line with international best practice, as recommended by the World Health Organisation's international radon project, which is co-funded by the Irish Government. Officials from my Department, local authorities and the RPII are developing clear guidance for local authorities on addressing high radon concentrations in social housing. My Department will continue to work closely with the RPII in developing policy on this issue, and will also examine the proposals in the RPII's 2008 report, Radiation Doses Received by the Irish Population, in respect of a future work programme.

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