Two items of interest.
The first is to publicize an open meeting organised by B.E.S.T. on the mast issue and its related health effects which will take place next Tuesday at 8.00 PM, in the South Court Hotel, Limerick. Maximum support is called for.
The second is a report of another antimast residential group, this time in a Cork suburb.
Best, Imelda, Cork, Ireland.
IRISH EXAMINER, FRIDAY, 21.04.2006, PAGE 13
"LOCALS VOW TO CONTINUE MAST PROTEST
by Eoin English
Residents vowed last night to continue their campaign for the removal of a mobile phone antenna from the roof of a Cork shop despite assurances from mobile phone company O2 that there is no health risk. A small group of residents has been protesting outside Murray's Centra store on the Old Youghal Road for over a month calling for the removal of an O2 antenna from its roof. Store owner Ken Murray declined to comment on the row yesterday. O2 moved to reassure residents last night and organised a public meeting in Mayfield GAA club. The company also blitzed homes in the area with a two-page document outlining current research, which the company says proves there is no health risk from the equipment. Residents picketed the public meeting and said their compaign would continue. Last year, the group campaigned successfully for the removal of another O2 mast, on the roof of the nearby Cotton Ball pub. Residents again complained when a temporary mast was erected soon afterwards in the pub's car park for 12 weeks. That mast was also removed but residents' spokesman Ted Tynan said locals were furious when planning permission was granted for the erection of the mast on the roof of the Centra store -- just a few hundreds yards away. "It is next to Mayfield Community School and several large housing estates," Mr Tynan said. Mary Anders, who lives nearby, said she doesn't trust the technology. "And since the scientists can't agree whether it is safe, we have every reason to be afriad for our children's health and our own health," she said. However, an O2 spokesman said residents' health fears were groundless. The antenna was erected following numerous requests from customers to improve the quality of service in the Mayfield region, he said. "At all times, O2 Ireland complies with all Irish and EU health and safety legislation and all relevant industry health and safety standards. "O2's nationwide network of base stations adhere to the strictest of standards set by the International Commission for Non-ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and supported by the World Health Organisation. "The communications regulator, ComReg, audits O2 base stations to ensure full complaince with international standards and guidelines. Independent analysis from ComReg has shown that O2 sites operate thousands of times below safety standards set by the ICNIRP."
Omega read "Base Stations, operating within strict national and international Guidelines, do not present a Health Risk?" under: http://omega.twoday.net/stories/771911/
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NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE MOBILE PHONE MAST MOVEMENT
B.E.S.T. (Better Environment and Safer Telecommunications) the lobby group campaigning for a safer telecommunications system in Ireland has arranged a meeting which will take place at the South Court Hotel, Limerick on Tuesday 25th April at 8:00p.m. sharp.
The meeting will address the serious issues and concerns which surround the increasing number of planning applications for the erection of phone masts in the heart of communities nationwide. The purpose of this meeting is to formulate a further plan of action to highlight the Governments failure to implement the recommendations in the Joint Oireachtas Report in June 2005 and particularly the recommendation which advises that phone masts are not located near schools, health centres, hospitals and crèches. Among topics to be discussed is how emissions allowed from mobile phone masts in Ireland are much higher than those in other European countries like Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Hungary. We will also be discussing the arranging of a protest at Dail Eireann over this serious matter which is causing huge distress among rural communities.
The B.E.S.T. Group has attended community group meetings which were in opposition to phone masts in their communities in counties Limerick Tipperary Clare Cork Kerry Waterford Galway Carlow Louth Laois Meath Offaly. The Group has also met with the Department of Communications, the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Health and Children and made presentations to Limerick and Kerry County Councils.
We are now calling on all Groups and individuals who have concerns with regard to the adverse health effects associated with radiation emissions from phone masts to attend this very important and informative meeting.
Guest Speakers at the meeting will be representatives of the Irish Doctors Environmental Association who will discuss the medical and scientific findings in relation to ill-health associated with exposure to emissions and members of the Irish Radiation Victims Network will talk about the ill-health they are suffering due to exposure to emissions from phone masts.
We would urge all individuals and communities nationwide to make the effort to attend this open public meeting as the issues to be discussed at this meeting may have arisen in the past in your area or may effect you or your community in the near future. “You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no results”
