Written answers

Tuesday, 12 February 2008

Department of Health and Children

Cancer Incidence

9:00 pm

Photo of Paul GogartyPaul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 239: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the plans by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to commission an independent study into the transmission line infrastructure to address issues of concern relating to overhead power lines; if she will carry out a concurrent study to prove or disprove anecdotal evidence of links to cancer clusters adjacent to areas where power lines and mobile phone masts are located side by side, such as in her constituency at Ronanstown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4991/08]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I am aware of and welcome the study on electricity transmission lines commissioned by my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and National Resources and I await the outcome of this study with interest. The Health Service Executive East undertook an examination of the incidence of cancer in the Ronanstown/North Clondalkin area using the most recently available information (eleven years from 1994 to 2004 inclusive) from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI).

Routine investigation of a possible cancer cluster involves comparison of incidence levels in a small local area with those found in a larger reference area. The smallest area for which information is available is an Electoral Division. Four electoral divisions include or are in close proximity to Ronanstown (Clondalkin-Rowlagh, Clondalkin-Cappaghmore, Clondalkin-Moorefield, Lucan-Esker). The reference areas used were Ireland and Counties Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. In summary, an examination of the total cancer incidence data for the four Electoral Divisions (combined) around and including Ronanstown suggests that the total incidence of cancer is similar to that of Ireland and similar to that of the Eastern area.

Looking at the incidence of the four commonest cancers (lung, breast, colorectal and prostate), the examination found that Lung cancer has a significantly increased incidence compared to the Eastern area and to Ireland while Breast cancer incidence is significantly less than in the Eastern area but has a similar incidence to that of Ireland. The incidence of lymphoma, leukaemia, stomach, melanoma, bladder and brain cancer were not found to vary significantly from Ireland or from the Eastern area. The position with regard to the four Electoral Divisions is as follows:

Clondalkin-Rowlagh, Clondalkin-Moorefield and Lucan-Esker have a similar total cancer incidence to the Eastern area and to Ireland. Clondalkin-Cappaghmore has a significantly lower total cancer incidence than the Eastern area but a similar incidence to Ireland. Clondalkin-Rowlagh and Clondalkin-Moorefield show a significantly increased incidence of lung cancer. This was the only cancer with an increased incidence at individual electoral division level.

Overall, the NCRI cancer incidence data does not suggest that there is a particular problem with cancer, except for lung cancer, in the Ronanstown area. Tobacco smoking is the primary risk factor for lung cancer and is estimated to account for up to 80% of lung cancer in developed countries. It is expected that a reduction in smoking prevalence in the area would lead to a reduction in the incidence of lung cancer. It must be borne in mind that this outcome is most probably related to lifestyle over the past twenty or more years. The Health Service Executive East will continue to monitor the cancer incidence data as more years of data become available.

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