City home has highest radon level ever found in Galway

A house on the outskirts of Galway City has been found to have the highest level of the cancer-causing gas radon ever found in a home in Galway.

The house in Ballindooley was found to have 22 times the acceptable level of the gas when tested by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII).

People living in the unidentified dwelling were receiving a radiation dose equivalent to having 15 chest X-rays every day.

A second home in the general area was also identified, in Castlegar, with 20 times the acceptable level.

Radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer after smoking and is directly linked to some 250 lung cancers in Ireland each year.

The latest data, from testing carried out over the last eight months, has identified over 180 homes across the country with high levels of radon. Of these, 34 were in Co Galway.

Stephanie Long, Senior Scientist at the RPII, said: “We know that Galway has a particular problem with one in five homes tested to date found to be above the acceptable level. Galway has the second highest percentage of homes with a radon problem in the country.

“Many Galway families are unknowingly exposed to high levels of radon and we would urge all homeowners to carry out this simple and inexpensive test to ensure their families are not exposed to this health risk.”

In addition, eight homes were found with up to ten times the acceptable level of radon in Tuam (2), Claregalway, Castlegar, Ballinfoyle, Ballinasloe, Loughrea and Galway City.

A further 24 homes were found throughout the County with radon above the acceptable level.

Read more in this week’s Connacht Sentinel