Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 May 1994

Vol. 442 No. 3

Written Answers. - Radon Testing.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

176 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the number of schools in each of the counties Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Galway and Mayo which have been tested for radon; the number of schools which showed a presence of radon; the number which showed a presence of radon above the accepted safety levels; and if any mitigation action has been taken in such cases.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

177 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the number of houses in each of the counties Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Galway and Mayo which have been tested for radon; the number of houses which showed a presence of radon; the number which showed a presence above the accepted safety levels; and if any mitigation action has been taken in such cases.

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Cowen):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together.

The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) is the National Authority with responsibility for undertaking measurements of the naturally occurring radioactive gas, radon. All buildings have some presence of radon. The average radon concentration in Irish houses is about 60 becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3). Surveys to date indicate that about 4 per cent of houses in Ireland have radon concentrations above the reference level of 200 Bq/m³. This is the radon concentration level above which remedial measures should be considered. While houses with high radon levels are found throughout the country, there is evidence of a greater incidence of such houses in the West of Ireland. A more stringent reference level of 150 Bq/m3 is applied in the case of schools.

During 1992, a geographically-based national survey, which will run over several years, was initiated by the RPII. Radon measurements will be made in over 6,000 homes nationwide and statistical evaluation of the results will allow the percentage of houses above the 200 Bq3 Reference Level in each national grid square to be predicted. All measurements are for a twelve month period and, once completed, will identify any areas at particular risk from indoor radon and allow planning authorities to consider what actions might be desirable to limit radon accumulation in new buildings.

Remedial action to deal with unacceptable levels of radon gas is, in the case of houses, primarily a matter for the householders and property owners concerned. However, guidance on remedial action is provided by the Environmental Research Unit of the Department of the Environment. In the case of schools, in which radon gas levels have been established to be unacceptably high, I understand that the Department of Education in co-operation with the Office of Public Works and the school authorities have undertaken remedial measures.

Details of the radon measurements in houses and schools in the counties mentioned by the Deputy are set out in Table 1 and 2 respectively. No measurements have been carried out in schools in Donegal, Cavan, Monaghan, Leitrim or Roscommon. In the case of counties where the number of completed house surveys is small, the results to date cannot be taken as statistically reliable data until the whole survey is completed.

Table 1

County	No. of Houses measured to date.	No. of Houses with measurements >200 Bq/m³.	No. of measurements On-going
Donegal	24	0	567
Cavan	160	3	215
Monaghan	99	6	139
Sligo	16	5	376
Leitrim	9	1	193
Roscommon	17	1	259
Mayo	356	43	354
Galway	991	199	525

CLASS="CP">Table 2

County	No. of Schools measured	No. of Schools with measurements ^gt;150 Bq/m³
Sligo	79	44
Galway	190	11
Mayo	148	10