Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his resistance to the introduction of a radon remediation grant scheme for householders is based on his acceptance that for those exposed to similar concentrations of radon, the risk of contracting lung cancer is 25 times greater for those who smoke, and that the vast majority of the radon induced lung cancer cases occur among smokers and ex-smokers. [5209/06]

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, further to Question No. 16 of 29 November 2005, the EU member states that operate a radon grant scheme; and the details of same. [5210/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 151 together.

As I have previously indicated, Government efforts and resources, together with those of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, are continuing to focus on highlighting public awareness of radon and on improving information to householders to enable and encourage them to address monitoring or remedial requirements effectively and economically. In addition, the building regulations require all new houses built after 1 July 1998 to have radon preventative measures installed. These requirements have been strengthened for houses built after 1 April 2005. More than 400,000 houses, equivalent to 25% of the Irish housing stock, have so far been covered by these measures.

The Government has over the years, largely through the RPII, committed significant resources to assessing the extent of the radon problem throughout the country and to highlighting public awareness of radon and the health risks associated with prolonged exposure to high radon concentrations. The RPII 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. Recent research commissioned by the RPII has found that 75% of the general population are aware of radon. In addition, over the past two years there has been a significant increase in the number of radon measurements undertaken by householders compared with previous years.

A link between radon related lung cancer deaths and smoking has been clearly established in the findings of a recent EU co-funded study of residential radon exposure and the risk of lung cancer. This concluded that the risk of lung cancer from radon is significantly higher, about 25 times, for smokers than non-smokers. Having applied the results of that study to the Irish situation, the RPII and the National Cancer Registry of Ireland issued a joint statement on 27 September 2005 confirming their earlier estimate that radon is responsible for 200 lung cancer deaths in Ireland every year but pointed out that the vast majority, over 90%, of these 200 deaths occur in smokers.

The Government considers that increasing public awareness of radon using the building regulations to ensure safer proofing of new buildings is the most effective approach in Irish circumstances to ensuring radon safety in homes. This consideration is not related to the incidence of radon induced cancer as between smokers and non-smokers. It would be difficult for a demand led scheme of domestic radon grants to ensure appropriate and cost effective targeting of remedial action and such a scheme could require very significant public expenditure and administrative resources.

As to the question of radon grants in other EU member states, the situation as I understand it is that the majority of EU states do not operate schemes of grant assistance for radon remediation works on domestic dwellings. My Department understands that Sweden, Finland, UK and the Czech Republic operate a radon grant scheme. Limited radon grants are also available in Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg. I understand that a cost benefit analysis of reducing radon in existing houses in Denmark by way of a scheme of grant assistance concluded that such investment would not be justified. Details of the above schemes would be available either through the appropriate Government websites or the embassies concerned.