Vol. 545 No. 5
68 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Health and Children the position regarding the provision of iodine tablets to the health boards; the number of tablets currently held by each health board; if it is intended that these will be distributed to the public; the proposed manner of distribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30901/01]
The national nuclear emergency plan is co-ordinated by the Department of Public Enterprise. Stocks of iodine tablets were distributed to and held by all regional health boards since 1991 as part of the plan. It has emerged that some health boards have disposed of these stocks as they were past their best before date and these boards believed that they were ineffective. I am advised that current stocks held by boards are as follows: Eastern Regional Health Authority: 720,000, tested 12 months ago and useable at that time; South-Eastern Health Board: 360,000, tested recently and useable; North-Eastern Health Board: 180,000, tested in 1999 and useable at that time; North-Western Health Board: 30,000 untested tablets; Mid-Western Health Board: 300,000 untested tablets; Midland Health Board: nil; Western Health Board: nil; and Southern Health Board: nil.
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 fallout. 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. It was recommended that new stocks of iodine tablets should be purchased and pre-distributed as a more effective counter measure. I accepted this recommendation and my Department, through the Eastern Regional Health Authority, has carried out the appropriate tendering process for the purchase of new stocks. Methods of pre-distribution are under consideration and I will announce further details after consultation with the Government task force on emergency planning.
