asked the Minister for Local Government whether his Department are at present conducting investigations on the effect of radioactive fall-out on water and sewage systems; and, if so, if he will give details of these investigations, including the areas in which they are being carried out, and the date at which he expects to receive the results of them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Radioactive Fall-Out.
56.
Surveys are being made by special officers nominated by sanitary authorities to ascertain the measures necessary to safeguard water supply and sewerage installations in their areas in the event of radioactive fall-out, and to prepare the necessary plans on a county basis to meet such a contingency. I am not in a position to say when details of the findings of these surveys are likely to be submitted. The matter is, however, being dealt with urgently.
At the same time samples of water from the public supplies in the County Boroughs of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Waterford, are taken monthly by the local authorities of the four areas and are sent by them to the testing station of the Meteorological Service for testing as to levels of radioactivity. The results to date show no contamination of any significance.