Town petitions for study over high cancer rate

NEARLY 1,000 people have signed petitions in the last 24 hours which were launched to pressure the Government into carrying out a baseline health study in a Cork harbour town blighted by cancer.

Yesterday people queued to sign petitions in shops in Cobh after Health Minister Mary Harney refused to carry out a health study in the town, which has a 37% higher cancer rate than the national average.

Environment Minister John Gormley had pushed his cabinet colleagues for the study after 500,000 tonnes of toxic waste was discovered in a dump on Haulbowline island near the town two years ago.