By Gerard Gallen

Seven parts of Donegal, including a 10km area between Lifford and Ballybofey, have higher radon levels than the standard acceptable threshold levels, according to a survey by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.
However, Donegal only has one small area near Moville above the 20% threshold.
Radon is cited as second most common cause of lung cancer but that it can be controlled through measurement and remediation.
A report released this week has indicated that Irish people receive more radiation than other European countries but that the majority remains from natural radiation especially from Radon gas which makes up over 55% were 85% of all radiation coming from natural sources.
Other factors contributing are man made include using aeroplanes, medical procedures, discharge from Sellafield and fall out from the 1986 Cernobyl disaster contributed also.
According to the report’s principal author, Dr Tony Colgan, Director of Advisory Services at the RPII, “Radon is a cancer causing gas and is the second most important cause of lung cancer in the country. It is also one of the few sources, which can be controlled through measurement and remediation, both of which are relatively inexpensive to undertake. For these reasons, the RPII has always highlighted radon as a key radiation protection issue.”
A “high radon area” is one in which more than 10% of houses are predicted to have radon levels in excess of the 200Bq/m3 reference level .
The population of Ireland is exposed to 9% more radiation each year than previously thought according to the recent study by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII). More details are on www.rpii.ie