Vol. 527 No. 3
233 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children whether the World Health Organisation has forwarded a view to his Department on any associated health hazards with regard to mobile telephone masts and mobile telephones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28374/00]
The World Health Organisation's co-ordinator of its occupational and environmental health unit has publicly stated that all the information it has to date shows no adverse health effects from the use of mobile phones. Health conditions which have been ascribed to the use of mobile phones include some types of cancer and changes in brain activity. No studies of humans have as yet supported these claims. A large epidemiology study is being co-ordinated in ten countries by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is a specialised agency of the WHO, to identify if there are links between use of mobile phones and head and neck cancers. This study is anticipated to be completed in 2003.
With regard to mobile phone masts the WHO established the international electromagnetic fields – EMF – project to assess the scientific evidence of possible health effects of EMF. The WHO has publicly stated that no study has shown adverse health effects at exposure levels from masts below the international guideline limits recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection.
While the exposure levels to a user from mobile handsets are considerably larger than from masts they are still below the international guidelines.
The monitoring of the levels of emissions from mobile phone masts is a function of the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation. That office publishes an audit report on licensed operators each year. The audit is carried out by Enterprise Ireland for the office. The most recent report published in February 2000 focuses on compliance with the general public exposure limits specified by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection in 1998. The report shows that all the companies audited have procedures and arrangements in place to ensure compliance with the general public exposure limits.
