Group calls for screening from masts

A group which represents people who maintain that their health has been affected by mobile phone masts yesterday called for measures to screen their homes from electromagnetic radiation.

The Irish Electromagnetic Radiation Victims Network told the Oireachtas Committee on Health that this was not just an Irish phenomenon, and there were people affected all over the world.

Con Colbert said some members of the group suffered daily as a result of exposure to energy emitted from mobile phone antennae.

The committee heard that one woman and her family had on occasion to sleep in a car because their home was affected by radiation from nearby masts.

"These people experience physical pain, great discomfort, loss of personal health, damaged relationships and family disruption."

Mr Colbert said some people have had to move out of their homes, were unable to work and their social life had been affected as it was difficult to find a place where radiation levels were not hazardous when out shopping, at worship or eating out

Enda Dalton said it was like being surrounded by "an invisible cloak of energy". He said victims were often told by doctors that they were physically fine. However, they were being affected by an outside source.

Helen McRory said she and her family had been forced to leave their apartment in Dublin due to the presence of a nearby antenna. They moved to another location which proved satisfactory until more masts were erected nearby.

She said she experienced a buzzing in her head, with her brain continually pulsing. On occasion she and her family had had to sleep in her car.

Ms McRory called for radiation screening measures to be installed in the homes of victims. In Sweden hospitals and schools were screened.

Mr Colbert said rooms in the homes of some victims were being screened as part of a pilot project. The bill for such screening was around €4,000 per room.