asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the recent medical research carried out in Norway, Great Britain and Switzerland regarding the effect of central heating on medical health, he will request the Dublin chief medical officer to investigate the present situation pertaining to the Ballymun satellite town.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballymun (Dublin) Heating System.
6.
As I informed the House on 16th December, 1969— Official Report, Vol. 243, Cols. 1414 and 1415—I am not aware that there is any proven seriously harmful effect on health associated with central heating. I have seen a report of a survey of office conditions in Zurich conducted under the auspices of the University there. Such conditions of course would not be comparable to Ballymun. This is the only Swiss report I have seen. The Deputy may wish to identify for me the reports of the recent research to which he refers, in which case I would be glad to consider them.
Would the Minister not consider instructing the chief medical officer to carry out an investigation into the incidence of ill-health in the Ballymun satellite town in relation to the central heating there? There are indications of an increased incidence in the case of certain illnesses in Ballymun, which are associated with central heating, and that association has been substantiated by medical research done in Norway, Switzerland and Britain.
I invite the Deputy to furnish me with the research because I have no knowledge of it. At the moment I have complete trust in Dr. O'Regan, the chief medical officer of Dublin Health Authority, who assures me that he is not aware of any health conditions of an unusual kind which relate to the temperature or humidity conditions in Ballymun.
I am sure the Minister is aware that I am not referring to conditions of a serious or unusual nature but to the common ailments which have increased in incidence. I am not referring to unusual or freak diseases.
The Minister stated there is no evidence, but specific evidence in respect of some medical cases has been submitted to the CMO in respect of the tenants of these flats, who have incurred the illnesses since going to Ballymun and who never had such illnesses prior to being housed in the flats in Ballymun. In view of these specific cases would the Minister not consider having a survey done of the incidence of these illnesses?
If the Deputy knows anything about medical statistics he will know how extraordinarily difficult it is to account for certain maladies occurring in a particular area and trying to relate them to the conditions in the area.
I am calling Question No. 7.
I suggest a survey would elicit this information.