Vol. 449 No. 7
242 Mr. Bree asked the Minister for the Marine if research on studies have been carried out on the movement of caesium 137 deposited from Chernobyl into water systems, such as ground water, lakes and rivers; and if any movement of this nuclide has been detected in the water ecology systems in the Ox Mountains. [4362/95]
Since 1988 the Fisheries Research Centre of the Department has co-ordinated, in co-operation with the Radiological Protection Institute, a programme to monitor the fate of Chernobyl-derived radiocaesium in freshwater upland lakes. Radiocaesium has been determined in fish and sediments sampled from upland lakes in those counties most affected by deposition from Chernobyl fallout, notably counties Donegal, Sligo and Mayo.
Both Lough Easkey and Lough Tatt in County Sligo have been monitored. Overall, the levels of radiocaesium detected in trout have declined since 1989. Monitoring is being continued in selected lakes including Lough Easkey. Dose estimates have indicated that there is no significant risk to health from the consumption of freshwater fish caught in Irish lakes.
