John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on an anomaly in the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, whereby mobile phone base stations may not be installed on educational facilities without planning permission, but may be installed on public or commercial buildings directly adjacent to such facilities without any planning permission; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this is inconsistent not only with the latest recommendations of the UK independent expert group on mobile phones, but with the advice of the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources to Dáil Éireann in 2004. [9595/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the drafting of planning and development regulations is a matter for the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the siting of individual mobile phone masts is a matter for the relevant planning authority. The issue referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy is a matter for the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. My Department has no role in either area.

Notwithstanding this, I appreciate the concerns surrounding the issues raised. However, I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, that it is the continuing opinion of all relevant international bodies that radio frequency fields around mobile telephone masts are not considered a health risk. Furthermore, his Department is not aware of any national or international health advisory authority which has recommended that a direct beam should not fall on school property as a result of telecommunication mast sitings. He has also indicated to me that if the Deputy can identify any such work, he will have it studied by experts in his Department. The Minister points out that if any relevant international body to which Ireland belongs were to make such a recommendation, an appropriate response would be considered, given the policy of his Department to abide by internationally accepted scientific guidelines that specify maximum acceptable levels of radiation.