At least 150 lung cancer deaths in the State every year are linked to radon gas emissions, the Dail was told. This represented 10 per cent of the total of lung cancer fatalities each year, said Mr Joe Jacob, Minister of State for Public Enterprise.

He told Mr Emmet Stagg (Lab, Kildare North) during Question Time that a survey of radon emissions had been completed in 21 counties so far and would be finished throughout the State next year.

Mr Stagg said that 10 per cent of houses in Cork city had a level of radon which was lethal unless immediate remedial action was taken and that up to 200 lung cancer deaths each year were linked to the gas.

"Action must be taken to stop people being killed from radon gas in their own homes," he said.

He called on the Minister "not to take no for an answer" from the Department of Finance and ensure that a grant scheme was introduced so that householders affected by radon emissions could take action to protect themselves.

Grant-aid for 1999 to deal with the radon problem was being considered in the Estimates, Mr Jacob said. Until they had finished discussions on the Estimates and their publication, "I can make no commitment about the availability of funding for a radon grant scheme in 1999".

He said he had sought provision for radon "remediation" funding in the 1998 Estimates but it was "not possible" to fund such a scheme this year.

Mr Stagg asked: "Will he explain to the Department of Finance that it would be cheaper to prevent people getting the disease in the first place?"

Mr Jacob said the Minister for Education had asked the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland to survey schools so that any problems with radon would be dealt with.

Mr Stagg said every survey done had shown that there were pockets where the level of radon was lethal.

He was concerned that the so-called "multi-faceted approach" by the Department of Finance to dealing with this serious problem was dissipating responsibility, "so that everyone is responsible and no one is responsible".