Phone masts near schools ‘may damage’ pupils’ health

A PRIMARY teachers’ union boss has called for a Government ban on phone masts near schools to protect children from the possible health risks.

Denis Bohane, president of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) said there is strong international evidence of health risks associated with exposure to electric and magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation.

“Recent studies show that people within 300 metres of mobile phone base stations suffer fatigue, headaches, concentration difficulties, depression, memory loss, visual and hearing disruptions, irritability, skin problems and dizziness,” he said.

Mr Bohane told the INTO annual congress in Cork that data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) being used by mobile phone service providers is out of date.

“Even when it was undertaken in 2000, the health effects were not fully researched. Taking data from the companies themselves is like asking Jaws if it is safe to go back in the water,” he claimed.

He said exposure guidelines proposed by the WHO are based only on short-term effects and are not designed to protect from long-term effects.

“Because children’s bodies are developing and research is not complete on the long-term health effects we should be even more cautious in allowing masts to be erected where children spend considerable amounts of time,” Mr Bohane said.

“The unconstrained ability of mobile phone operators to put phone masts near schools is the height of irresponsibility and places children at an unquantifiable risk. We are demanding an end to this unregulated practice and calling for regulation forbidding the construction of masts near schools,” he said.

He said the Government should be taking measures to protect the population, particularly children, and the negative effects of technology should be dealt with.

“Reports and findings cannot be allowed to be ignored by those who don’t want to listen. We must be prepared like other countries to adopt a preemptive approach,” Mr Bohane said.

“Individuals have a choice whether to use a mobile or not. But with a phone mast near a school, children have no choice,” he said.