I thank the Senator for the opportunity of outlining to the House the situation concerning asbestos in educational buildings.
Asbestos is the common name given to a group of naturally occurring minerals with long fibre characteristics. Due to its unique fire resistant and insulation properties, it was widely used as a construction product until 1985, after which its use was no longer permitted.
The material is likely to be present if a building was constructed or refurbished between 1950 and 1985. Asbestos was mainly used as thermal insulation on boilers; in insulation boards used for fire protection or acoustic purposes on ceilings, ducts, partitions and service shafts; and on steelwork for fire-protection purposes.
Asbestos only gives rise to a health risk if the fibres are released into the air and breathed in. Consequently, the removal of asbestos from a building must be undertaken by specialists in conformity with strict health and safety regulations.
In March 1999, the Department of Education and Science formally requested the Office of Public Works to undertake a pilot survey of 196 schools in the south east to determine the location, type, form and condition of any asbestos material present and the steps necessary to manage the problem. The intention of the Department in conducting the sample survey was to obtain information on the likely scale and extent of the presence of asbestos in school buildings nationwide. The initial survey was completed in July 1999 by a firm of specialist consultants commissioned by the Office of Public Works. It identified an asbestos presence in some form or another in 59 of the 196 schools surveyed, i.e. about 30%.
Although, generally speaking, the condition of the material was found to be good and posed no immediate health risk, its removal where possible was recommended and a programme of works commenced immediately with funding made available from the Department of Education and Science. Remediation work has now been completed in most of the 59 schools identified in the survey.
The survey has since been extended to all schools nationwide, primary and post-primary, and the management authorities and principals of every school were informed of this in December 1999. The survey is being conducted on a phased basis by specialists, again commissioned by the Office of Public Works. Where asbestos requiring removal is detected, either as a result of the survey or otherwise, arrangements to undertake the work are immediately made by the Department of Education and Science and the Office of Public Works. All works are carried out by competent contractors under strict supervision, in compliance with local, national and EU regulations and in consultation with the Health and Safety Authority and school management as appropriate.
The entire cost of the programme of detection and removal, which to date has been in the region of £1 million, is being borne by the Department of Education and Science. The necessary level of funding will continue to be allocated to the programme as a priority. To date, approximately 900 schools have been surveyed and a programme of remediation work for 120 schools, in addition to the 59 schools I already mentioned, is currently being finalised.
Work in this area must be undertaken in conformity with health and safety legislation and in such a way that disruption to the operation of schools is minimised. This often means that the work must be undertaken during normal holiday periods when the schools are closed. Nevertheless, substantial progress has been made since the asbestos remediation programme in schools was initiated by us in March 1999 and the Depart ment's intention is that this should continue. The necessary level of financial resources will continue to be devoted to the programme until all schools have been dealt with.
Regarding the comments by Senator Costello, it is obvious that there are problems like this in Ireland but we do not have the solution, except to dismantle, remove and replace. We are still not able to dispose of the product or material that creates the difficulty because we seem to be unwilling to dispose of primary and residual waste. It is important that we adopt the common political goal of putting in place a structure which will ensure that these unwanted products or materials are removed as quickly as possible in a professional way. I look forward to the support of politicians in both Houses in seeking to achieve this in the near future.
I assure the Senator and the House that my Department will be vigilant in ensuring that asbestos material is removed as quickly as possible from affected locations.
