Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 November 2014
166. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has health concerns regarding mobile phone masts being located close to homes or schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44468/14]
View answer167. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has health concerns regarding pylons being located close to homes or schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44469/14]
View answer172. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the legislation and the provisions that ensure that mobile phone masts are not located close to homes or schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44471/14]
View answer173. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the legislation and the provisions that ensure that pylons are not located close to homes or schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44472/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 166, 167, 172 and 173 together.
The issue of the potential health effects of electromagnetic fields was the subject of an Expert Group Report commissioned by the Government and published in March 2007. This report, entitled Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields, which considered issues such as digital signals, microwaves and mobile phone masts, is available for download on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/EnvironmentalRadiation/.
The Expert Group reported that the majority scientific opinion was that no adverse short- or long-term effects have been demonstrated from exposure to electromagnetic fields at levels below the limits recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Extensive international research on the issue continues to be co-ordinated through bodies such as the World Health Organisation.
A substantial volume of research on this issue is being carried out internationally by bodies with responsibilities for monitoring the health effects of electromagnetic fields, including the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR). This Committee recently published a Preliminary Opinion on Potential Health Effects of Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields, updating its previous opinions from 2009 and taking account of the many studies undertaken in the intervening years. The Report can be found at the following weblink: (http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientificcommittees/emerging/docs/scenihro041.pdf).
The findings of this research are being monitored by the WHO’s EMF Project; it is expected that a report will issue from the WHO in 2015. My Department, via its Air Quality & Environmental Radiation Policy Section, continue to monitor this and other scientific evidence as it is made available and will consider any policy implications in this context.
My Department recently commissioned a study on international developments in non-ionising radiation (NIR) and electromagnetic fields (EMF) research since publication of the 2007 Report. The study is also examining how the issue of NIR/EMF is dealt with in other jurisdictions and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The results of this study will be used by a Steering Committee, convened and chaired by my Department, to consider and make specific proposals relating to the future management of these matters including, inter alia, any consequent legislative amendments and provisions.
