asked the Minister for Health if he will agree to heat the new Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, by District heating thereby using the industrial and household waste of north Dublin to create the energy for the hospital, bearing in mind that the given week-day population of the hospital will be in the region of 3,000 people.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Beaumont (Dublin) Hospital.
17.
The provision of a district heating system for north Dublin would be a matter for the relevant local authorities in the first instance.
The boiler house at Beaumont Hospital has recently been completed and provides for the use of turf. The Beaumont Hospital Board are at present investigating the feasibility of recovering heat for use in the hospital from incineration of the hospital refuse.
18.
asked the Minister for Health the action he intends to take in relation to the use of dangerous chemicals, such as asbestos, in the building of Beaumont Hospital, Dublin.
The building contract for Beaumont Hospital requires that the relevant health and safety regulations are complied with. These regulations specify safeguards to be taken for the protection of workers in the storage and handling of any dangerous chemicals required during the course of the building work and for protection from offensive dust fumes.
The responsibility of ensuring compliance with the regulations lies with the main contractor. Statutory responsibility for the regulations is a matter for the Department of Labour whose inspectors visit sites periodically to ensure that the requirements are being complied with.
The contract for Beaumont Hospital stipulates that the contractor should take all precautions in the use of asbestos cement required by the relevant regulations governing the use of the material and to comply with the Factories Act, 1955, as well as the codes of practice, technical notes and control and safety guides published by the asbestos Research Council of Britain.
Does the Minister believe that asbestos can be safely used in construction in view of recent findings about the carcinogenic dangers involved in working with asbestos?
Do I believe it can be used at all?
That it can be safely used by workmen.
If the appropriate precautions are taken.
The Minister is satisfied about that despite recent reports on the subject?
It depends on the amount of dust and the precautions taken.