Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey. He knows where I live, which is not far from his constituency. I did not know anything about radon, until some years ago when a new apartment block, which was built on the road not far from where I lived at the time had to be evacuated because of a radon scare. People were out of their homes for at least two years. I agree entirely with what I heard of the Minister of State's speech and what was said by Senator Glynn. There is a responsibility on all of us to ensure we protect our own health. I hope the purpose of today's debate will be to spread the message much wider because many people are unaware of the dangers of radon gas.

Radon, which can cause lung cancer, is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas, and occurs naturally from the decay of radioactive uranium in rocks and soils. What happened in the case to which I referred is that a dump had been located on the site previously and whatever was in it caused the problem with high radon emissions. At least 100,000 Irish homes have unacceptably high levels of radon. Radon occurs naturally in the ground in many parts of Ireland and frequently gets trapped in buildings. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, warned last year that certain areas in Cork were worst affected. The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Kitt, referred to that point. Radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer in Ireland and causes up to 200 deaths per year. Irish people are still being exposed to levels of radiation that are 40% higher than the world average. I was unaware of that information, which is based on research carried out by the RPII and published in July 2008.

We have a big problem with radon in this country. Irish people are exposed to levels of radiation that are 40% higher than the world average. That is equivalent to an average of 200 chest X-rays per year. Recently, a family living in a house in County Waterford was found to be receiving radiation doses equivalent to 33 chest X-rays per day because of radon levels at their home. When one has a chest X-ray everybody who works there has to leave the room for the duration of the X-ray because of the dangers of repeated exposure. It is difficult to imagine a family receiving radiation does equivalent to 33 chest X-rays per day in their home.

Radon effects can sometimes be relieved by something as simple as improving ventilation in the house or by installing a wall or window vent. However, the RPII says that if radon levels are very high, the commonest measure is to have a radon sump installed beneath the property to divert the gas away from the building. The cost of a installing a radon sump is approximately €1,500. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has confirmed that the Government has no specific budget to combat radon gas emissions and no specific grants scheme is available to private householders to retrofit radon barriers to existing homes, although in certain circumstances the work could be covered by the housing aid for the elderly grant scheme. Why is that the case and is there any intention to change the situation?

In light of the effect of the radon gas problem, that is, 200 deaths per year, the Government should provide a grant or tax relief to assist people in installing what is clearly a preventative mechanism, although not a cure. A test kit is available to monitor radon levels in homes and workplaces in hotspots. The kits are available from the RPII but there are no grants available to the private householder for their purchase. A grant for the purchase of radon monitors should be partly funded by the Government. Although the Government has other high priorities in respect of spending at present, will the Minister of State give some attention to this? We must use the media to promote recognition of the problem and then find a way to encourage people to do something about it.

While the Department of Education and Science is addressing the problem of radon in schools, we must redouble our efforts to ensure all buildings are checked for radon. In particular we need to do more to keep it out of homes and, as stated by other Senators, out of offices. Radon testing should be carried out during the house sale process and should be part of the procedure of buying a new house. We really must address the problem, which is the second biggest cause of lung cancer in the country. It causes 200 deaths per year.

Of the 600 homes surveyed by the RPII in Mallow last year, one in four had random levels of radon equivalent to the level of radiation delivered by 12 to 15 X-rays per day. The World Health Organisation has called for a multi-agency approach involving the HSE, local authorities and the RPII in areas with a known radon gas emission problem. The successful scheme in Mallow in Cork involved these authorities working together to tackle the problem. The problem in Mallow involved the detection of radon by the RPII, a risk assessment by the RPII and the health services and corrective measures on the part of Cork County Council in property owned by the council itself. Private householders were given advice on the best course of action.

In conjunction with offering a grant for radon detectors, the Government should use the programme to relieve the effects of radon gas in Mallow as a model for the rest of the country. In this way, I hope we can prevent the many needless deaths caused by this secret and not well-known killer. The vast majority of citizens are not aware of radon gas and most of us have not done anything to protect ourselves. Government initiative is required and it will involve publicity. This debate will help in this regard. However, it is not just a question of publicity but of the Government telling citizens they can do something about the problem with the encouragement and financial assistance of the State. In this way, we will save lives.