Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

On Second Stage yesterday, we discussed the entity that will be the merged Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, and the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. I made the point in that debate, and repeat it now, that it is important the role of the RPII is not lost but the research material provided to us indicates that a working group was set up to ensure the merger works properly. Senator Walsh is very much a guardian of the public purse in this House but he may not be aware that the cost of changing a corporate name in an organisation such as the EPA, which has a budget of almost €60 million, is a serious amount of money in terms of public funds. I would be more interested in seeing that money spent on an awareness campaign highlighting that the RPII has merged with the EPA but will continue to function as part of the EPA.

As a member of a local authority, I recall several occasions when representatives of the RPII attended council meetings across the country as part of their awareness programme. That brought home the seriousness of the issue to those of us in my area in Tipperary where the extent of radon gas is extremely high, and a great deal of work has had to be done by people in their houses to deal with the problem. I would like to think that function will continue under the EPA but also that there would be an awareness that the RPII still exists as a full arm of the State to carry out its very important work. I ask the Minister to give some assurances on that.

When the role of the EPA is examined in the future, and following our Private Members' motion last night, I am sure that will be dealt with because revelations came out last night as part of that debate which indicate that the EPA, as the watchdog in terms of our environment, needs to be scrutinised more deeply than has been the case. The Minister, Deputy Hogan, in what was probably one of his last functions as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, gave commitments to that effect on specific difficulties throughout the country. I hope the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, will be in that seat in the next 24 hours.