Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 522: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of homes in County Clare in which high incidents of radon are present; his plans to introduce grant aid to home owners for the provision of radon barriers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23427/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Over the years, the Government, largely through the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, has committed significant resources to assessing the extent of the radon problem throughout the country and to increasing public awareness of radon and public health.

To date, the institute has carried out a survey of 1,487 homes in County Clare. Of these, 224 were found to have radon levels above the national reference level of 200 Bq/m3. The reference level for long-term exposure to radon in a house, above which the need for remedial action should be considered, is 200 Bq/m3. As part of this survey, 275 workplaces were also surveyed, and out of these there were 12 workplaces above the national reference level for workplaces, 400 Bq/m3. Some 135 schools were surveyed, and of these 23 were found to have levels above 23 Bq/m3 and 11 had radon levels above 400 Bq/m3.

Although a provision of Exchequer grant assistance to home owners for the provision of radon barriers or remediation is not envisaged, my Department along with the institute will continue to provide information and increase awareness of the risks associated with radon in order to enable and assist householders undertake any necessary remediation works in an effective and economical manner.

Upgraded building regulations, introduced in June 1997 require that all new houses, which commenced construction on or after 1 July 1998, incorporated radon protection measures. In October 2004, my Department published an updated edition of technical guidance document C (TGD-C) on part C of the building regulations, site preparation and resistance to moisture, incorporating enhanced radon prevention measures for new buildings commencing on or after 1 April 2005.

For many years now, the institute, through press releases and radio and TV interviews, and through its own published reports on radon, has promoted public awareness of radon and highlighting the risks associated with exposure to radon. The institute has long been encouraging householders, particularly those in high radon areas, to have their homes tested for radon and to undertake radon remediation works where necessary.

The institute has undertaken several other initiatives to further heighten public awareness of the radon issue. In November 2004, it hosted the third national radon forum in Dublin to raise awareness of radon as a health risk. That same month, it published a booklet entitled, Understanding Radon — A Householder's Guide. That guide is directed at householders who have been informed that they have radon concentration levels above the national reference level in their homes. The aim of the guide is to assist such householders in interpreting their radon measurement results and in deciding how to deal with the problem. The institute has also printed an information poster on radon for display in libraries, medical centres, etc., advising people to have their homes checked for radon. The institute has also begun a new radon awareness campaign, which will involve a series of nationwide public information seminars on the dangers of radon, and which will be targeted at selected high radon areas. As part of this campaign the institute has organised road shows to further heighten awareness in regard to radon, particularly in areas with high radon levels.