asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will ask the Medical Research Council to collect samples of soil, vegetables, and bone from widely separated parts of the country in order to try to estimate the concentration of poisonous radio-active strontium deposited following the testing of thermo-nuclear weapons by Britain, Russia and America.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Radio-active Deposits.
Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Moylan)
Such data as has so far been obtained in relation to the possible effects of radio-activity of the kind in question in the agricultural sphere has been under study and any steps considered to be desirable will be taken in conjunction with the other interests concerned.
Would the Minister not agree that if we could show that strontium is deposited in a widespread way throughout the country—I assume he knows it has been found as close as Wales and that there are very serious heredity genetic mutations as a direct consequence—and if we could demonstrate that this substance was to be found throughout the country we could reinforce our case with the other small nations in the United Nations in demonstrating against the idiotic practice of continuing these thermo-nuclear weapons tests?