Health Board rejects Askeaton cancer claims

I REFER to recent reports in the Irish Examiner on a "Cancer Cluster in Askeaton/Cappagh", an issue that the Mid-Western Health Board has been aware of for some time, both since the initiation of the EPA's Askeaton investigation in 1995 and reports from the area since of excess numbers of cancers.

As a consequence the board, in collaboration with the National Cancer Registry, conducted a further study that followed on from the work of the EPS Report but extended the time period from 1994 to 1999. This report was presented to the health board at its meeting in October 2002. This data is the most up-to-date available, taking the data down to the level of individual electoral districts.

The report shows that the level of cancer in the Mid-West is generally less than the rest of the country and only two areas (Ballynanty in Limerick City and Formoyle in Co Clare) have cancer rates significantly above that of Ireland (nationally). Looking at the areas around Askeaton the rates are either less than or around the level for Ireland. (In fact in most incidences the differences between the Irish rate and the local rate is often one or two cases or even a fraction of a case of cancer.) This report does not support the case for their being an abnormal problem with cancer in the Askeaton area.