Two prosecutions have followed misuse of radiation equipment so far this year and a third case is pending, according to the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. It has also emerged that the substantial review of the National Emergency Plan for Nuclear Accidents initiated by the previous government is still in progress.
Both prosecutions involved dentists who infringed the conditions of their radiation licences, according to Dr Tom O'Flaherty, chief executive of the RPII, which issues the licences.
The prosecutions "reiterated the need for constant vigilance for all users of radiation equipment", he said yesterday after the Minister of State with responsibility for nuclear safety, Mr Joe Jacob, had opened new offices for the institute's regulatory service.
The Government had a clear policy of "minimising and eliminating" any radiation exposure to the general public, Mr Jacob said. He also indicated that the review of the nuclear emergency plan was still under way.
The review was initiated by Mr Jacob's predecessor, Mr Emmet Stagg, and followed a full-scale test run of the plan last November. The review was being carried out by the Department of Public Enterprise and by the RPII, Dr O'Flaherty said.
"There were a number of things that merited review in the structure of the plan. Some aspects of the organisational arrangements were not sharp enough." Until the review was completed the existing plan would be used in the event of an emergency, he added.
The institute's regulatory service is responsible for ensuring safe practice in uses of ionising radiation via the licensing system. There are 1,227 licensed users of radiation equipment which includes X-ray machines, medical diagnostics devices and radiation sources.
