David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

With regard to health and so on, Ireland as a country has not implemented any measures on basic restrictions for the general public for electromagnetic field exposure, as outlined by the EU recommendations as far back as 1999. Not only that but I was amused by one very charming e-mail I received which pointed out to me that bats, bees, cows and human beings appear to have an aversion to pylons. They do not like them. There may very well be good reasons for this. It is not just the devaluation of property which in this economic circumstance is difficult, it is also the sheer number of them. I understand there may be up to 4,000 of them. As the Minister is shaking his head, perhaps he will be able to tell me the number. One of my informants say there are 4,000 at 45 metres.

With regard to health, the situation regarding cancer is unclear. I am not inclined to think that the major cancers are caused by this kind of radiation. However, the study by the UK's national radiological protection board published under the name of Dr. Alastair McKinlay, said that the leukemia risk is at least double what might be expected normally in these circumstances. That is stated as a scientifically objective fact. He goes on to state that one has to be much more careful about the-----