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28th
October 2004
PRESS
RELEASE
BRING BACK RADON
REMEDIATION GRANTS SCHEME – GREEN PARTY
The Green Party has called
for a new grants scheme to tackle Radon gas in existing homes.
Radon is a naturally
occurring radioactive gas that is present in many Irish homes and that can cause
cancer if levels are allowed remain high.
Ciarán Cuffe TD, The Green
Party’s Environment Spokesperson stated: “The Minister for the Environment
has announced new guidelines for Radon barriers in new homes, yet he is doing
nothing for those living in older houses.
“We want Dick Roche to
reintroduce a Remediation Grants Scheme to the worst affected areas in Ireland.
People should be given some financial help in situations where the levels of
radioactivity are very high.
“Homes built from granite
stone and built in areas rich in granite can have very high levels of this gas.
Often PVC replacement windows make the situation worse by making homes airtight
and reducing air circulation.
There was provision for radon
remediation grants to offset 50% of the cost to householders, set out in the
Radiological Protection Amendment Act of 2002. However, the scheme was scrapped
due to budget constraints in 2003.
It is estimated that 10-15%
of all lung cancers are linked to radon resulting in up to 200 deaths every year
according to the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. An
estimated 91,000 or 7% of the nations' homes are at risk from levels exceeding
safety limits.
“Instead of just looking at
new dwelling Minister Roche should be addressing the problem in existing home
that is killing hundreds of people every year.”
ENDS |