Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the advice and submissions he has received with regard to safety issues associated with mobile phones and mobile phone masts; the safety monitoring measures that are in place to assess non-ionising radiation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38715/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The limits for non-ionising radiation are global limits established internationally by the International Commission for Non Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). There is currently no scientific or medical evidence that emissions below the level of internationally recognised guidelines from mobile telephony are injurious to health. The Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg), the regulator, conducts audit measurements to verify compliance with these limits.

The health concerns of some members of the public were highlighted in the Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources' "Non-ionising radiation from mobile phone handsets and masts" report, published in June 2005. This report made a number of recommendations about the continuing safety of mobile phones.

In September of last year Government set up an interdepartmental committee, chaired by my Department, to report on appropriate actions on these recommendations and examine Government policy with regard to any potential health effects, if any, of electromagnetic fields. In order that the interdepartmental Committee will have the most up to date scientific and medical evidence available to them, the Committee has set up an Expert Group to prepare a report on the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields.

As part of their review, the Expert Group sought submissions from individuals, local authorities, Industry and concerned citizens groups. These submissions provided the Group with the key relevant questions raised by the respondents. They met with representatives of some of these last February, where further information was sought by the Expert Group regarding the issues faced from an Irish perspective.

The Expert Group are now finalising their report. This report will cover all aspects of potential health effects of electromagnetic fields, including; radio frequency fields used in mobile telephony; extremely low frequency fields used for electricity power distribution; static fields used for medical imaging; potential risks to children and the question of whether some individuals may be sensitive to these fields.

It is not possible to present the recommendations of the Interdepartmental Committee at this time, as the work of the Committee is ongoing and is not due to completed until the end of the year.