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CUH phone masts retained
Written by Lloyd Mudiwa Tuesday, 16 December 2008 09:07
An Bord Pleanála has ruled in favour of allowing the retention of telecommunications equipment forming part of a mobile phone communications network at Cork University Hospital (CUH)
This followed an appeal by local Councillor Catherine Clancy against an earlier decision made by Cork City Council to grant permission to O2 Communications (Ireland) Limited. The retention is for a period of five years from the date of the order issued last week. The Labour Councillor had pointed out that the Joint Committee of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Report (June 2005) on non-ionising radiation from mobile phone handsets and masts recommended that no electromagnetic or radio frequency emissions equipment be permitted to be sited near health centres, while the Council’s development plan did not favour installations in residential areas.
“Retention of the phone masts would not be appropriate for a hospital that has, or may in future, treat people with a sensitivity to non-ionising microwave radiation emissions,” Cllr Clancy had submitted. However, An Bord Pleanála found that a report for a similar type of installation at Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, concluded that the recorded exposure levels were substantially below occupational and public guidelines. “It appears to me that there is no substantive evidence that adverse health effects can occur if people are exposed to non-ionising radiation below the levels endorsed by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP),” an inspector with An Bord Pleanála stated.