Asbestos removal from naval ships to cost taxpayer €500,000

The taxpayer will have to foot the near €0.5m bill for removing potentially-lethal asbestos from Naval Service ships, but the final cost could be far higher.

Civilian and naval personnel who worked on the asbestos-contaminated ships will have to be medically screened for the rest of their lives as asbestosis symptoms can take up to 40 years to manifest.

The Department of Defence has confirmed that the total cost of cleaning up and disposing of asbestos on ships and workshops at the navy’s headquarters at Haulbowline Island was €447,000.