Waste Disposal

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 April 2014

Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Ceisteanna (450)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

450. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 356 of 08 April 2014, where he stated that the Galway clinic at Doughiska has been licensed by the RPII and subject to regular inspection by RPII inspectors, his views on allegations which have been brought to his attention that the RPII inspector is employed by the clinic and that staff at the facility have passed on evidence that procedures were not adhered to regarding the treatment of potentially lethal radioactive waste; and if he will confirm that he has had these allegations investigated and by whom. [17969/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) is the competent authority in relation to the protection of workers and members of the public from the harmful effects of exposure to ionising radiation. I can confirm that an incident was reported to the RPII in September 2012 concerning the handling of radioactive waste at the Galway Clinic, Doughiska, County Galway. The RPII subsequently requested a report of the incident and a report, which was prepared by the Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) to the Clinic, was provided to the RPII.

The role of the Radiation Protection Advisers is a statutory one provided for in Article 19 of the Radiological Protection Act 1991 (Ionising Radiation) Order 2000. While the RPII maintains the approval process for entry onto the register of RPAs, RPAs are not employed by the RPII to act on its behalf. In the particular incident in question, the RPII was satisfied that the potential radiation exposure to staff was very small and was of no concern from a health point of view. The RPII was also satisfied that local procedures had subsequently been amended with the aim of avoiding a recurrence of the incident.