Written answers

Thursday, 14 February 2008

Department of Education and Science

Communications Masts

5:00 pm

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views, in view of the growing health concerns surrounding the siting of telecommunications masts near schools for both pupils and staff, on contacting South Dublin County Council for an update in relation to the illegal mast located beside a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24. [5859/08]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Planning and Building Unit of my Department has not received any correspondence from the school in question concerning the location of telecommunications masts adjacent to the school building. The Deputy will be aware that the drafting of Planning and Development Regulations relating to mobile phone masts is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The erection of such masts is subject to normal planning regulations which are administered by the relevant Local Authority, in this case South Dublin County Council. I am aware that the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government issued guidelines on Telecommunications Antennae and Support Structures to planning authorities in 1996 and that these guidelines are still in place.

In 2005 the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Marine and Natural Resources issued a report titled "Report on non-ionising radiation from mobile phone handsets and masts". On foot of the recommendations of the report that Department established an inter-departmental committee to examine the health effects, if any, of non-ionising radiation. I understand that this committee in their report concluded that no adverse short or long-term health effects have been found from exposure to the radio frequency signals produced by mobile phones and base station transmitters.

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