A REPORT on the environmental impact of pollution from the former Irish Ispat site on the neighbouring Naval Service base at Haulbowline has found that there is “no unacceptable risk” to health, Minister for Defence Willie O’Dea said yesterday.
Mr O’Dea confirmed his department had received a report from consultants RPS on Wednesday and while his officials were still studying it in detail, the main finding was that there is no significant risk to the health of staff at the naval base.
“There were 42 soil samples taken and the air was tested at eight different locations – the gist of the report as I understand it is that there’s no unacceptable risk . . . I hope what’s been found by the independent firm of consultants will be reassuring to staff here in the naval base.
“An acceptable level of risk is something which, in the opinion of the consultants who know about these matters, is a level of risk which people can live with; it’s not dangerous, not potentially damaging to health.
“What they are essentially saying, in the language that people like that use, is that there really isn’t a problem here and that people should be reassured,” said Mr O’Dea, adding that he would like to go through the report in detail with his officials before commenting further.
Last July, as details emerged of a possible high level of heavy metal pollutants in slagheaps at the plant, the Naval Service closed off a football pitch used by sailors near the former Irish Steel plant.
The Naval Service action came amid fears that the area may have been contaminated by airborne pollutants from the plant.
Solicitor Joe Noonan, who has acted for the Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment, urged Mr O’Dea to publish the report as quickly as possible to allow harbour residents to assess the risk for themselves.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley is due to meet members of Cobh Town Council this morning to brief them on the progress of a report by consultants on cleaning up the former steel plant.
Earlier this week, local councillor and former Labour TD, John Mulvihill, received backing at Cork County Council for a motion calling on Mr Gormley to resign over his handling of the controversy over the clean-up at the plant site.