Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Acting Chair, Senator Flynn. It is lovely to see her in the Chair today. I thank the Minister of State for joining us today. I hope he will provide a pathway to dealing with this very serious issue. The absence of the Minister in charge is noted.

I have several questions. What action is the Government taking to deal with the high levels of radon gas which affect more than 500,000 homes? Does the Minister intend to provide assistance towards grants for testing for radon gas? Last week, I spoke about radon, which is a radioactive gas linked to 300 lung cancer cases each year. I spoke about the lethal gas, which is the second largest cause of lung cancer in this country. I spoke about it creating 14% of the lung cancer cases which present in our hospitals each year. I also spoke about the fact that one third of this country is classified as a high radon area by the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA. What I did not mention last week is the fact that we have particular geology in Ireland which means that this radioactive gas is emitted by igneous rocks. As a result, radon is trapped by our homes at a higher rate than in other countries. There are 500,000 homes at risk here. I was shocked to read in an article in The Irish Timesthat the members of a household in Sligo were exposed to radiation levels equivalent to having 15 chest X-rays every day because of radon gas in the ground beneath their home. This dose is 22 times higher than the level regarded as acceptable and left the people in the property at increased risk of lung cancer. The article to which I refer is a year old. What has been done about the matter?

Radon gas is odourless, colourless and tasteless. It seeps through the soil and enters buildings through small cracks, holes or imperfections that may exist in floor areas or gaps around pipes or cables.There is nothing that a household or an employer can do about it. There is nothing that a family in County Sligo can do about it. However, there is something that the Government can do about it. Radon can be tested in homes with a testing kit that costs €50. If radon is found to be above certain levels, it is recommended that the home undergoes radon remediation works. An employer that finds radon levels in the workplace that are too high is required, under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, to have radon remediation works carried out to control and eliminate the risks. Such works may include the installation of a fan-assisted sump. These sumps can reduce radon levels by up to 90% and cost €1,500. The costs of €50 and €1,500 may sound like a small sum for such important prevention measures but to homeowners, businesses and employers across the nation who are already stretched with the Covid-19 pandemic, it is no small sum. The only solution is Government support.

Lung cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the Republic. To eliminate 300 radon-induced incidences of lung cancer, this cost is significantly less than €100,000 per case. In the interest of our citizens and taxpayers as human beings, I urge the Government to provide grants to support the cost of preventative measures. Aside from the grant that I am urging the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to consider providing, is he taking any action regarding the risks radon poses to the citizens of Ireland?

In 2014, a joint position statement was issued by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland and the HSE on radon gas and its dangers. How many Irish people know of the dangers, understand the risk and know how to protect themselves from the risk? I dare say it is very few. The people have been left in the dark about the unusually high levels of exposure to this deadly gas. There would be shock if more people knew of the risks. It is a gross injustice that no national awareness campaign has been commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

I am raising this matter because the people of Ireland need to be aware of the risk, the danger and the associated cost. The Government needs to the ready to help, inform and act.