National Radon Forum Presentations and Reports

Since 2002 the National Radon Forum has attracted high calibre speakers to generate debate and discussion around various aspects of radon exposure in Ireland. The presentations and reports below give a flavour of the topics discussed at the Forum.  These presentations and reports do not purport to be a comprehensive account of each Forum nor should they be interpreted as representing the views of the EPA.

Fifteenth National Radon Forum (2019)

Opening of the Forum, Dr. Micheál Lehane, Director of the Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring, EPA

Presentations and reports from the fifteenth national radon forum

• Colman Hickey - Setting the Scene (Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment)
• National Radon Control Strategy - Phase 2 - Ms. Stephanie Long (EPA)
• Knowledge Gaps - Phase 2 - Ms. Alison Dowdall (EPA)
• Review of Technical Guidance Document C (Site Preparation & Resistance to Moisture) - Mr. Simon McGuinness (Dept. of Housing, Planning & Local Government)
• Radon in Workplaces: New Legislation and Guidelines - Mr. David Fenton (EPA)
• Radon in Workplaces: The HSA Perspective - Ms. Sheena Notley (Health & Safety Authority)

Fourteenth National Radon Forum (2017)

Opening of the Forum, Dr. Micheál Lehane, Director of the Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring, EPA

Presentations and reports from the fourteenth national radon forum

• Implementation of the National Radon Control Strategy – Progress to Date - Ms. Stephanie Long (EPA)
• National Radon Control Strategy – Review and Next Steps - Ms. Stephanie Long (on behalf of Mr Paul Shortt DCCAE)
• Basic Safety Standards Directive – the Impact of New Legislation - Mr. David Fenton (EPA)
• A revision of the number of radon related lung cancers in Ireland - Mr. Paul Walsh (National Cancer Registry of Ireland)

Thirteenth National Radon Forum (2016)

Opening of the Forum, Ms Laura Burke, Director General, EPA

Presentations and reports from the thirteenth national radon forum 

Session 1 - National Radon Control Strategy –Year Two

• Overview of the implementation of the strategy - Mr. Paul McDonald (DCCAE)
• Radon.ie and the registration scheme for measurement services - Ms. Stephanie Long (EPA)
• A new course for building staff - Mr. David Fenton (EPA)
• A new course and registration scheme for remediators - Mr. Eamonn Smyth (DHPCLG)

Session 2 - Filling Knowledge Gaps and Future Legislation

• Review of public information campaigns – Prof. David Hevey (TCD)
• Update on current radon research – Dr. Barbara Rafferty (EPA)
• EU Basic Safety Standards Directive – Mr. David Fenton (EPA)

Twelfth National Radon Forum (2015)

Opening of the Forum, Ms Laura Burke, Director General, EPA

Presentations and reports from the twelfth national radon forum

Session 1 - National Radon Control Strategy – One Year On

• Overview of the implementation of the strategy  - Mr. Paul McDonald (DECLG)
• Update from the steering group on radon prevention in new build - Mr. David Fenton (EPA)
• Update from steering group on radon awareness - Mr. Bob Hanna (DCMNR)
• Update from the steering group on radon remediation - Mr. Eamonn Smyth (DECLG)

Session 2 - Filling Knowledge Gaps identified in the Strategy

• Updated national average indoor radon concentration for Ireland – methodology and preliminary results - Dr. Patrick Murphy (UCD)
• Current radon remediation methods and costs in Ireland - Ms. Alison Dowdall (EPA)
• Pilot study on the impact of energy retrofitting on radon levels in local authority homes - Stephanie Long (EPA)

Eleventh National Radon Forum (2014)

Opening of the Forum, Mr Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Presentations and reports from the eleventh national radon forum 

• Ireland's National Radon Control Strategy - Mr. David Pollard, RPII
• Data from the local authority radon measurement programme – observations on assessing the effectiveness of radon prevention in Ireland -  Alison Dowdall, RPII
• The use of passive systems for radon remediation in the UK - Sue Hodgson, Public Health England, U.K.
• Using geology to identify localised high risk areas - how the TELLUS project can help us - Jim Hodgson, Geological Survey of Ireland

Tenth National Radon Forum (2013)

Opening of the Forum, Mr. Fergus O'Dowd, T.D. Minister of State at the Departments of Environment, Community and Local Government and Energy, Communications and Natural Resources.

Presentations and reports from the tenth national radon forum

• Overview of the draft National Radon Control Strategy - Mr. David Pollard, Director of Radon and Measurement Services, RPII

Key elements of the draft Strategy:

• Radon prevention in new buildings - Mr. Eamonn Smyth, Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
• Strategies to tackle radon in existing homes - Mr. David Fenton, Manager of Radon Advice, RPII
• Strategies to tackle radon in workplaces - Mr. Darren Arkins, Health and Safety Authority

• The public consultation process - Ms. Stephanie Long, Senior Scientist, RPII
• International requirements for the control of radon - Dr. Trevor Boal, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna

Ninth National Radon Forum (2011)

Opening of the Forum. Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government

Presentations and reports from the ninth national radon forum

• Stakeholder input to the National Radon Strategy - Mr. David Pollard, Director of Radon and Measurement Services, RPII
• Radon a manageable risk to public health in Ireland - Dr. Kevin Kelleher, Assistant National Director Population Health - Health Protection, Health Services Executive
• What do we know about the current remediation rates and costs in Ireland? - Mr. David Fenton, Manager of Radon Advice, RPII
• The Norwegian Radon Strategy - a case study - Mr William Strandring, Norwegian Radiological Protection Authority

Eighth National Radon Forum (2010)

Opening of the Forum. Dr. Ann McGarry, Chief Executive, RPII

Presentations and reports from the eighth national radon forum

• Radon prevention in new buildings - what the public needs to know - Mr. Gavin Cullen, Building Control Officer, South Tipperary County Council
• Lessons learned from measuring 4,500 homes in Cork - Ms. Stephanie Long, Senior Scientist, RPII
• Case study: Fixing the radon problem in North Cork - Mr. Alex Grassick, Energy Section, Cork County Council
• Case study: Survey of radon in workplaces - Ms. Catherine O'Reilly, State Claims Agency
• Understanding the public's view of radon: Learnings from focus groups - Ms. Annmarie Dillon, Senior Account Director, Millward Browne Landsdowne

Seventh National Radon Forum (2009)

Opening of the Forum.  Mr. Michael Finneran, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

Presentations and reports from the seventh national radon forum

Elements of a radon control strategy in Ireland:

• Overview of radon in Ireland - Mr. David Pollard, Director Measurement and Monitoring Service, RPII
• A public health perspective on radon control in Ireland - Dr Ina Kelly, Specialist Registrar in Public Health Medicine
• HSE and RPII - a joint position on radon control - Ms Ann Marie Part, Area Chief Environmental Health Officer, Health Services Executive

Two examples of elements of a strategy:

• Radon and conveyancing -  Ms Stephanie Long, Senior Scientist, RPII
• RPII guidance on radon programmes in social housing - Mr David Fenton, Manager Radon Advice Section, RPII

• Cost effectiveness of radon control - Professor Alastair Gray, Health Economics Research Centre, University of Oxford

Sixth National Radon Forum (2008)

Opening of the Forum.   Mr Michael Kitt, T.D. Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Presentations and reports from the sixth national radon forum

• An Overview of Radon in Ireland -  Mr David Pollard, Director, Radiation Monitoring and Measurement Services, RPII
• Radon in North Cork - a Case Study - Mr Michael Cremin, Senior Executive Officer, Housing Department, Cork County Council
• Radon - a Public Health Perspective -  Dr Mary O' Mahony, Consultant Public Health Medicine, HSE South
• Radon in North Cork - a Case Study - Mr David Fenton, Manager, Radon Advice Section, RPII
• The World Health Organisation's International Radon Project (IRP) - Dr Ferid Shannoun, Co-Ordinator of the International Radon Project, World Health Organisation

Fifth National Radon Forum (2006)

Presentations and reports from the fifth national radon forum

• The World Health Organisation's International Radon Project (IRP) -  Dr Hajo Zeeb, Co-Ordinator of IRP, WHO
• How Local Authorities Can Address Radon - Mr Denis Holland, Senior Engineer, South Tipperary County Council
• The Radon Airborne Survey of Castleisland, Co. Kerry - Dr Eibhlin Doyle, Geological Survey of Ireland
• Radon Risk Mapping - Dr Jon Miles, Radiation Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency, UK
• Occupational Radon - a North West Perspective - Ms Mary Heery, Senior Environmental Health Officer, Health Service Executive, West
• Radon in Workplaces - Mr David Fenton, Manager, Radon Advice Section, RPII

Fourth National Radon Forum (2005)

Presentations and reports from the fourth national radon forum

Castleisland Radon Survey - Dr Catherine Organo, Scientific Officer, RPII

Factors Affecting Radon Levels in Houses: A GIS Study around Castleisland - Dr Finbarr O'Sullivan, University College London, UK

Radon in Workplaces; what is Required of Employers in Kerry - Mr David Fenton, Manager, Radon Advice Section, RPII

Health Risks due to Exposure to Radon in Homes in Ireland - Mr David Fenton, Manager, Radon Advice Section, RPII

The RPII's Radon Road Shows - Mr Hugh Synnott, Scientific Officer, RPII

Attitudes to Radon Remediation Among Householders in Ireland with High Radon Concentrations in their Homes - Mr David Dawson, Scientific Officer, RPII

Radon Remediation, Issues from a Contractors Perspective -  Mr Eugene Monaghan, The Radon Centre

Effectiveness of Radon Preventative Measures in New Dwellings - Dr Catherine Organo, Scientific Officer, RPII