Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 506: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if he will investigate a cancer cluster in an area (details supplied). [11688/11]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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The National Cancer Registry is the statutory body with responsibility for inter alia the collection and analysis of information relating to the incidence of cancer and related tumours in Ireland. My Department has asked the Registry to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the incidence of cancer in the area specified.

The issue of the disposal of material at a site in Santry is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. His Department has advised that between 1972 and 1981, the site's owners, Trinity College Dublin (TCD), disposed of waste there which mainly included packaging for radioactive substances. In 1998, at the request of TCD, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) carried out a survey of the disposal site. The survey showed that the external radiation levels measured were consistent with natural background levels. The RPII concluded that, on the basis of the survey results, the site does not represent a radiological hazard to members of the public but recommended that should there be further development of the site additional checks should be carried out. There has not been any further development of the site since then. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has also advised that the RPII performed additional sample analysis in the area for concerned residents in May of 2000 where all radiation levels were found to be consistent with background levels.

The question of pylons is also a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and his Department has advised that the issue of potential health effects of electromagnetic fields was comprehensively covered by the Expert Group Report published by Government in March 2007 entitled "Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields", which is available on the website of that Department.