Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 1 Feb 2001

Vol. 529 No. 3

Written Answers. - Radon Gas Levels.

Liz McManus

Question:

17 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 122 of 21 November 2000, his Department has yet received the pilot study in respect of radon gas levels; if so, the main conclusions thereof; the action his Department has taken following phase II of the RPII survey results; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2759/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

In May last year the Radiological Protection Act, 1991 (Ionising Radiation) Order, 2000 (Statutory Instrument 125 of 2000) gave effect to the most recent revision of the EURATOM Basic Safety Standards Directive (Council Directive 96/29/EURATOM). This sets a national reference level for radon in workplaces of 400 bqMf7>3 over any three month period. If radon exceeds this level an employer must evaluate whether remedial measures should be undertaken and, if so, such measures should be undertaken as soon as is practicable.

As the Deputy is aware, the purpose of the pilot study in question is to establish whether passive ventilation systems can be used to mitigate radon levels in schools with radon levels in a range between 200 and 400 bequerels per cubic metre, as opposed to the active mitigation systems that have been, or will be, installed in the schools with higher levels.

The study has not yet been fully completed as the building research establishment is awaiting data from one participating school. It is envisaged that the report will be available to my Department very shortly.

Mitigation measures are complete in thirteen of the worst affected schools that participated in phase I of the survey. Preliminary post mitigation testing indicates that the measures taken have been effective. Average radon levels of below 200 bqMf7>3 have been recorded in all of the rooms in these schools during the three-month test period. Contracts have been placed to carry out remedial work in a further 20 schools from phase I. Some of this work is under way at present and all of the systems should be in place by the end of the Easter break.

The RPII advised that 23 of the worst affected schools that participated in phase II should be given priority when mitigation arrangements were being made. An expert in radon mitigation from Cornwall County Council, who provided the specifications for mitigation systems for the worst affected schools from Phase I, has visited ten of these 23 schools in order to specify mitigation systems for these schools. He will visit the remaining thirteen school when he returns to Ireland in March and June this year. The specifications will be available to enable the systems to be installed by the summer of this year at the very latest, although it may be possible to install some systems earlier.

Arrangements are to be made to have remedial work carried out in approximately 51 other schools with maximum radon levels in one or more rooms in a range between 404 bqMf7>3 and 656 bqMf7>3. It is hoped that more local expertise can be found to specify the remedial measures necessary in these schools.