Vol. 462 No. 7
48 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the disquiet of local people in the Border area concerning possible low dose radiation being emitted from surveillance equipment on the British Army lookout posts; the plans, if any, he has to alleviate these fears; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5405/96]
I am aware of the worries of local people in the Border area regarding possible health risks resulting from security equipment used by the British Army in the Border area.
Concerns regarding surveillance equipment on lookout posts have been raised with the British authorities through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat on a number of occasions in the past and we have been repeatedly assured that the equipment used is not harmful to health. The question has also been examined by our own experts in these matters, including the Department of Health and the Nuclear Energy Board. Having examined all the information available, including the incidence of serious illness in the areas concerned, they concluded that there is no evidence to support the view that the equipment poses a danger to health.
On my instructions, the concerns raised by the Deputy were again raised with the British authorities through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat. They have responded by repeating the assurances we have been given before that there is no evidence that any of the surveillance equipment in use by the British Army poses any risk to health.
