Vol. 542 No. 2
351 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason health boards had only out of date iodine tablets in recent times; and when he expects to be in a position to supply each of the health boards with iodine tablets. [24306/01]
The necessity of continued stocking of iodine tablets as part of the health input into the national nuclear emergency plan was reviewed as part of an update of the overall plan which is co-ordinated by the Department of Public Enterprise. It was recommended that new stocks of iodine tablets should be purchased and pre-distributed as a more effective counter measure. I have accepted this recommendation and my Department is making the necessary arrangements as a matter of urgency for the purchase and distribution of these tablets. Only the most severe nuclear accidents will require the use of iodine tablets. Ingestion of iodine tablets may be effective in preventing thyroid cancer in certain populations, especially children exposed to radioactive fall-out.
