Vol. 573 No. 3
683 Mr. Morgan asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if his Department's attention has been drawn to the methods to reduce the risks to human health from radon; if so, the nature of same; if his Department has a list of competent contractors who can carry out such measures to existing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25279/03]
I refer to the detailed statement made by my Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, during a Dáil Adjournment debate of 22 October regarding radon gas. I also refer to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 176 of 23 October in which I outlined a number of initiatives aimed at heightening public awareness of radon.
In his statement, the Minister of State described a number of measures introduced by my Department over recent years in regard to radon remediation measures and techniques in relation to buildings, including the booklet published by my Department in February 2002, Radon in Existing Buildings – Corrective Options.
The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland maintains a list of known contractors and issues it to all householders with indoor radon levels above the reference level of 200 becquerels per cubic metre. The work of such contractors is not supervised or endorsed by RPII. It is a matter for householders, following radon remediation works, to satisfy themselves that radon concentrations have been reduced to below the reference level. This can be confirmed by post-remediation radon measurements.
It is not practicable in the current budgetary circumstances to provide for Exchequer funding of a radon remediation grant scheme in respect of domestic dwellings.
