A national survey of all primary and post-primary schools was commenced by the Radiological Institute of Ireland, RPII, in 1998 at the request of my Department, following indications of a problem with high radon levels in some schools. This survey involves monitoring the radon gas level in each ground floor classroom oven an academic year. A number of counties were surveyed over the 1998-99 academic year. Schools in Dublin have been surveyed over the current academic year, 1999-2000.
I understand that second level schools involved in the current phase of the survey have begun to return the detectors to the RPII for processing. The detectors from primary schools will no doubt be returned in early July. The RPII expect to be in a position to issue the results to each school later this year.
The results of the first phase of the national survey relating to 685 schools in counties Carlow, Cavan, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow were issued to the schools concerned earlier this year.
These results indicated that none of the rooms tested in 511 schools had a radon concentration above the reference level set of 200, Bq/m3, above which remedial action is advised. Of the remaining 174 schools, the RPII advised that 13 schools, showing the highest level of radon, require attention as soon as possible. My Department has appointed a consultant to undertake this work. The mitigation programmes for five of these schools have been completed. The consultant has prepared mitigation programmes for the remaining eight schools. It is planned that the necessary works will be undertaken during the school summer holidays.
The mitigation programme for these schools has primarily involved the installation of sub-floor depressurisation chambers, commonly known as sumps, linked by piping to fans in order to trap and lead away the radon gas before it enters the affected building. The consultant will then consider and advise on the most suitable mitigation programme for the remaining less-affected schools. In the absence of the advice of the consultant I cannot say at this juncture what the nature of these measures will be or when they will be undertaken. I am pleased to say that the full cost of the mitigation programme will be borne by my Department.
