Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire Stáit atá sa Teach. We rightly hear much talk about health and safety at work but when we speak about radon gas, health and safety within the home should certainly come centre stage. A free local paper in Mullingar and Westmeath in general, the Westmeath Advertiser, indicated Westmeath has very high levels of radon, which is something about which to be concerned.

The Minister of State gave a very comprehensive report on the position pertaining to radon levels. If I touch on what he said, it is merely to emphasise the importance of the issue. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. It is colourless, odourless and tasteless and can only be measured using special equipment. That makes radon a silent killer.

When radon surfaces in the open air, it is quickly diluted to harmless concentrations but when it enters an enclosed space, such as a house or other building, it can sometimes accumulate to unacceptably high concentrations. Radon decays to form tiny radioactive particles, some of which remain suspended in the air. When inhaled into the lungs these particles give a radiation dose that may damage cells in the lung and eventually lead to lung cancer. I will touch on that issue later.

On the basis of a nationwide survey of radon in domestic dwellings, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, has estimated there are 91,000 houses in Ireland with radon concentrations in excess of 200 Bq/m3. This is the reference level above which the Government recommends that householders should consider carrying out remediation measures. Since July 1998, all new dwellings and long-stay buildings are required to incorporate some degree of radon preventative measures at the time of construction in accordance with the revised building regulations. The degree of protection required is dependent upon whether the site is located within a high or low radon area. The RPII, as well as a number of private contractors, provides radon measurement services for homes.

Workplaces have a reference level of 400 Bq/m3 and where they exceed this, employers must evaluate whether remedial action to reduce the radon concentration is justified. The question arises of how many workplace managers and proprietors test for radon; I suggest very few do so. I ask the Minister of State to focus on that issue. It is incumbent on all of us who are householders, either owners or lodgers, to ensure the environment we live in has safe levels of radon. A failure by those managers or proprietors to comply with a direction to take remedial action is an offence and can lead to prosecution, which is correct.

The RPII is the national organisation with regulatory, monitoring and advisory responsibilities in matters pertaining to ionising radiation. In particular the RPII concerns itself with hazards to health associated with ionising radiation and with radioactive contamination in the environment. The RPII was established in 1992 under the Radiological Protection Act 1991. The 12 members of the board are appointed by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, six of them having been nominated by organisations with interests in various aspects of the RPII's work. It cannot be said this was just jobs for the boys as people with expertise are there, coming from a background as outlined earlier in my statement.

The RPII is financed by grant-aid from the Exchequer and by income from dosimetry, product certification and other services, licence charges and research and consultancy contracts. The RPII's principal objectives are to provide advice to the Government, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and other Ministers on matters relating to radiological safety; to provide information to the public on any matters relating to radiological safety which the institute deems fit; to maintain and develop a national laboratory for the measurement of levels of radioactivity in the environment and to assess the significance of these levels for the Irish population; to provide a personnel dosimetry and instrument calibration service for those who work with ionising radiation; to regulate by licence the custody, use, manufacture, importation, transportation, distribution, exportation and disposal of radioactive substances, irradiating apparatus and other sources of ionising radiation; to assist in the development of national plans for emergencies arising from nuclear accidents and to act in support of such plans; to provide a radioactivity measurement and certification service; to prepare codes and regulations for the safe use of ionising radiation; to carry out or promote research in relevant fields; to monitor developments abroad relating to nuclear installations and radiological safety generally, and to keep the Government informed of their implications for Ireland; to co-operate with the relevant authorities in other states and with appropriate international organisations; to represent the State on international bodies; and to be the competent authority under international conventions on nuclear matters.

I hope those objectives are being realised because of their importance to public health. I worked with the director of public health in the Health Service Executive in the then Midland Health Board. He was an excellent fellow. I exhort the department of public health in the HSE and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to ensure the responsibilities of the organisations to which I referred are being carried out diligently and effectively because of their importance to public health.

Radon decays to form tiny radioactive particles, some of which remain suspended in the air. When inhaled into the lungs those particles give a radiation dose, which may damage cells in the lung and eventually lead to lung cancer. Radon levels are measured in the manner outlined in the Minister of State's speech. The reference level for long-term exposure to radon in a house, above which the need for remedial action should be considered, is 200 Bq/m3. That is determined in accordance with the RPII's standard protocol.

Since 1998, every new house is required to incorporate some degree of radon preventive measures at the time of construction in accordance with the revised building regulations. The degree of protection required is dependent upon whether the site is located within a high radon area. It is important to bring to centre stage the importance of radon levels. I would like it to go out from this House today through our friends in the media that all householders should have their homes tested and that employers should test their premises for radon levels. That is imperative.

There is a range of radon concentrations over which some common remediation techniques are likely to be effective. It can be seen that at radon concentrations of 300 Bq/m3, any type of remediation is likely to be effective in reducing radon concentrations to below the reference level. Addressing the problem does not have to cost an arm and a leg, as taking even basic measures can significantly reduce the level of radon. For radon concentrations greater than 1,000 Bq/m3, installation of an active sump is always the preferred remediation option.

Some householders opt to undertake radon remediation on a phased basis. That means the simplest, least expensive solution which offers reasonable potential for achieving the desired reduction is undertaken first. Following that, the house is retested and if the radon concentrations have not been lowered sufficiently, then other measures are installed progressively until the required radon reduction is achieved. Alternatively, more extensive and therefore more expensive radon remediation measures may be undertaken to begin with to ensure the radon concentrations will be reduced sufficiently on the first attempt.

The Minister referred to a high concentration of radon gas in an office premises that was little used. However, as everybody knows, that situation can change at short notice. The radon levels in that location were equivalent to having a four figure sum of X-rays in any one year. Such a situation gives rise to a high degree of concern. Radon is invisible and odourless, which makes it a silent killer. This debate is very important. We all have a responsibility for our own health and as a consequence, it is incumbent on us, as legislators, to ensure effective legislation is enacted, followed by regulation and enforcement to ensure homes and workplaces are radon free and safe.