Róisín Shortall
Ceist:28 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the details of the radon remediation grant scheme she will introduce in 2001. [27661/00]
Other Questions. - Radon Schemes.
Ivan Yates
Ceist:76 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the details of the proposed radon remediation grant schemes announced on 30 September 2000; when application forms will be available; the manner in which the scheme will be administered and by whom; the level of grant that will be available for eligible participants; and if she will expedite the introduction of this scheme in view of the number of houses that are anxious to proceed with the relevant works. [28024/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 76 together.
On 27 September last the Government approved the introduction in 2001 of a radon remediation grant scheme. A sum of £1.559 million has been allocated to my Department's Vote in respect of the scheme in 2001. The purpose of the scheme is to assist householders who have high levels of radon in their houses to undertake the necessary radon remediation works.
The precise details of the scheme have yet to be finalised. However, it is envisaged that the grant scheme, which will commence in the latter half of 2001 and wind up in 2010, will be administered by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. The scheme will apply to private and local authority houses and to houses provided by voluntary housing organisations. Grant assistance will represent 50% of the total cost of the remediation work, subject to a maximum grant of £800 per household.
The specific details of the scheme will be settled by a steering committee comprising my Department, the Departments of Finance, Environment and Local Government and the RPII. I expect to announce details of the scheme in the new year. The scheme will be up and running in the second half of next year.
The Deputy will be aware that for some time I had sought Government funding for such a grant scheme. I hope it will provide an incentive to householders with high radon concentration levels in their homes to undertake the appropriate remediation works. I am happy to acknowledge the work of the former Minister of State, Deputy Stagg, on the scheme prior to my taking office. We were happy to build on that work and I am satisfied the funding has been put in place. I also acknowledge the robust support of my senior colleague, the Minster for Public Enterprise, in achieving that funding.
I congratulate the Minister of State in finally persuading the Minister to secure this funding at the Cabinet table after three and a half years.
He did it all himself.
I presume congratulations to the Minister are in order. The Minister of State has done a very good job on this scheme, despite the resistance by his senior colleagues. Is the scheme he is now preparing similar to the one I had prepared before I left office and which his senior colleagues had abandoned? Does he have figures on the number of people who died from the effect of radon gas? It is calculated that 300 people per year died from the gas since the Government took up office and since the Minister and her senior colleagues abolished the scheme that was in place, despite the best efforts of the Minister of State.
The scheme has built on the work done when Deputy Stagg was Minister of State and in many ways it is similar to the one he proposed. The details will be worked out speedily and it will be up and running soon. I do not have substantive figures on the information sought by the Deputy. The RPII has advocated this grant scheme and has expressed serious concern about radon and the potential health hazards involved. There is a huge level of awareness throughout the country and a degree of urgency about the scheme within the Government. That will be a big incentive to people to proceed with remedial works.
I thank the Minister of State for his response and for the fact that money will be available. Given that my home town of Moville has one of the highest concentrations of radon, will the scheme be focused primarily on those areas that have high radon levels in accordance with the study undertaken? Last week I received a reply to a parliamentary question on schools, especially with regard to my own areas of Buncrana and Carndonagh, which have exceptionally high levels of radon. Is the Minister of State satisfied that the works to be undertaken immediately will be adequate?
People have been advised to place a radon detector in their houses. Is that an adequate response for towns that have been designated as high radon areas? The Minister of State referred to the present and potential health risks and Deputy Stagg referred to the 300 deaths from radon related illnesses. Is there a need for more research and, perhaps, pilot projects which could take an area, such as my home town, to study the larger ramifications of radon on the environment and health?
The Deputy's area is a high radon area, as established in the survey undertaken by the RPII. It is expected that such areas will be addressed under this scheme. A public awareness campaign is under way to advise and exhort people in those areas to partake of the scheme and become involved.
The situation with regard to schools is ongoing, as is the survey. Remediation works have already commenced and the Department of Education and Science is funding them. All schools deemed to be above the national level of 200 becquerels will be dealt with and the works will be carried out. The first phase of that scheme has been fully completed and I understand the second phase is expected to be completed in the current year. Work will continue thereafter.
As regards the third matter the Deputy raised, the RPII is continually monitoring this situation. It will keep us well informed on the subject.
(Mayo): How many primary and secondary schools are in excess of the minimum safety level of 200 becquerels? How many schools, which are deemed to be in excess of the minimum safety standard, have had the radon mitigation treatment provided to date?
That may be outside the remit of the question.
As that is not part of the original question, I do not have the information with me. However, I will get it to the Deputy post haste. Immediate attention has been given to this issue. The RPII is administering the issue on behalf of the Department of Education and Science, which is funding it. The schools and areas identified are being addressed. A certain amount of remedial work has been carried out and that will continue. I will forward to the Deputy the information he seeks as it is available.