Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Swanick for the opportunity to address this issue.

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas which is produced when fossil fuels such as coal, wood, petrol, oil or gas do not have enough oxygen to burn completely. Unlike radon gas, carbon monoxide is produced when fuels are burned and can be produced in homes with poor ventilation, blocked chimneys or damaged appliances. It was brought home to us by the tragedy on the Mayo-Sligo border a number of years ago. Raising public awareness of this domestic threat is a key element in dealing with the issue and my Department, together with a range of industry partners led by Gas Networks Ireland, has initiated a range of public awareness campaigns over the past several years. These are centred on an annual carbon monoxide awareness week, which I was happy to launch on 28 September this year. The campaign is vital to inform and educate all of us in order that we can make changes in our everyday lives and minimise risk before it is too late. The impact and effect of carbon monoxide awareness week in previous years has shown that people take more notice when there is a sustained campaign of broad scope. Home ownership of carbon monoxide alarms increased from 25% in July 2014 to 53% in October 2016. My Department and the regulator are sponsors, as are members of the energy industry, which do great work in getting safety information out to their customers. The National Standards Authority of Ireland, alarm manufacturers and suppliers, together with registered gas installers and oil technicians, are all involved as well. The awareness campaign takes place at the end of September when most of us are increasing fuel use and this is supported with a dedicated website,www.carbonmonoxide.ie, which provides safety precautions advice on appliances and contact details.

The Senator commented on local authorities carrying out annual services on boilers and I am happy to engage further with him on the survey he has completed and the response he received from local authorities. Taking off my energy hat and putting on my climate change hat, it is important that all boilers are serviced on an annual basis because that improves their efficiency, reduces the fuel burned and, as a consequence, reduces the bill for consumers. We should make sure that the boilers of people living in low-income households and in local authority housing are operating as efficiently as possible.

Radon is a lung carcinogen and is linked to five cancer diagnoses per week.It is a serious public health hazard. It can only be measured with special detectors and produces radioactive particles when inhaled. These particles are deposited on the airwaves and result in a radiation dose on a person's lungs. It is the second biggest causer of lung cancer after smoking and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.

We have a national radon control strategy that is targeting the improvement in standards in building regulations, which have been revised since 1998 and which have had a direct impact on improving the standards of homes across the country. Some of the key measures set out in the national radon control strategy are: the installation of passive preventative measures in new buildings; the use of property transactions - sales and rentals - to drive action on radon; raising radon awareness and encouraging individual action on radon; provision of advice and guidance for individual householders and employers in high radon areas; promoting confidence in radon services; and addressing radon in workplaces and public buildings. This is a matter of which I am very conscious, particularly in the context of places such as Ballintober, County Roscommon, and Fohanagh-Ahascragh in east Galway that have been listed as "red" by the Environmental Protection Agency, which means there is potential for high radon gas levels. The Senator's part of the country, Ballina, is a hot spot for radon gas. We need to raise awareness, particularly in those communities, and we need to do more to encourage people to test for radon gas and put supports in place to carry out remedial action.

To date, of the homes that have been tested, 700 have shown raised radon levels and 80 of those have extremely high radon levels. Based on the national radon survey, it is estimated that approximately 110,000 homes across Ireland have radon concentrations above Ireland's threshold limit of 200 Bq/m³. That means we have identified less than 1% of the total number of households. There is a European radon awareness day and a website, radon.ie. We use the conveyancing mechanism of the legal profession to try to identify radon when properties are being transferred. We are now working with the Department of Education and Skills to determine what actions can be taken under the scheme to support schools on the maintenance and remedial systems that can be put in place. The EPA has also engaged bilaterally with Tusla on how best to increase awareness and promote action amongst relevant agencies and crèche owners. Next year there will be a roll-out of a campaign with Tusla inspectors and voluntary organisations. There has been a programme of radon testing, particularly with older people. The Senator touched on the housing aid for older people scheme, which can be used for that. There is also the home renovation incentive scheme which is of benefit to some families. We are actively looking at other incentives to facilitate and encourage radon testing. There are proposals before me at the moment to consider the introduction of financial incentives. If the Senator or the industry have any thoughts or suggestions on this matter, I would be very happy to hear from them.