Vol. 559 No. 1
335 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Health and Children if data has been collected to show the number of deaths from cancer here which have resulted from exposure to radiation over the past 20 years; if particular pockets here have been identified; if tests have been carried out to determine the reason for such exposure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25791/02]
Data on mortality are compiled by the Central Statistics Office and published in the annual and quarterly reports on vital statistics. During the past 20 years two deaths have been coded to conditions directly attributable to radiation. One of these was recorded as acute pulmonary manifestations due to radiation while the other was recorded as overdose of radiation in therapy. The effects of radiation may be a contributory factor in other deaths but it is not possible to establish a causal link based on death registration data. The exception to this is malignant melanoma of the skin where it is clear that exposure to sunlight radiation is the principal cause. Between 50 and 90 people per year die from this condition in Ireland.
The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland has statutory responsibility for monitoring compliance with radiological protection legislation. The institute carries out surveillance programmes to monitor levels of radioactivity in air, drinking water and foodstuffs. The data presented in its report "Environmental Radioactivity Surveillance Programme 1999 and 2000", published in February 2002, demonstrate that the levels of artificial radioactivity in the Irish terrestrial environment, including foodstuffs, remain extremely low and do not pose a significant risk to health. The RPII will of course continue to monitor the exposure of people living in Ireland to all relevant sources of ionising radiation.
