James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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357. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views that electric and magnetic fields can adversely impact physical health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10666/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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358. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the statement of a person (details supplied) that it was simply not possible, at the power levels concerned, for transmission lines to cause cancer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10668/16]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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422. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views that electric and magnetic fields can adversely impact physical health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10657/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 357, 358 and 422 together.

The issue of the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields was the subject of an Expert Group Report commissioned by the Government and published in March 2007. This report, entitled Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, which considered issues such as digital signals, microwaves and mobile phone masts, is available for download on my Department’s website at:

The Expert Group reported that the majority scientific opinion was that no adverse short- or long-term effects have been demonstrated from exposure to electromagnetic fields at levels below the limits recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).

Extensive international research on the issue continues to be co-ordinated through bodies such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as by other bodies with responsibility for monitoring the health effects of electromagnetic fields, including the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR). This Committee recently published a Preliminary Opinion on Potential Health Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields, updating its previous opinions from 2009 and taking account of the many studies undertaken in the intervening years. The Report can be found at the following weblink:

The findings of this research are being monitored and considered by the WHO’s EMF Project; it is expected that a report will issue from the WHO this year. My Department, in collaboration with the EPA’s Office of Radiological Protection, continues to monitor this and other scientific evidence as it is made available and will consider any policy implications in this context.

In addition, my Department commissioned a study on international developments in non-ionising radiation (NIR) and electromagnetic fields (EMF) research since publication of the 2007 Expert Group Report, as well as examining how the issue of NIR/EMF is dealt with in other jurisdictions. I expect this study to be published shortly, and a Steering Committee will be established to consider the study results and make specific proposals relating to the future consideration and management of these matters.