BYCRONANSCANLON
DONEGAL County Council has confirmed that a number of mobile telephone masts have been erected illegally near Ballybofey.
A number of residents in the Edenmore area outside the town contacted the Donegal News to voice their concern after yet another mast was erected recently.
According to the council's planning department, they only have record of one planning application from Bord Telecom Eireann (now eircom). However, residents say there are now three masts at the site.
A spokesman for RTE disputed the council's claims saying they have planning permission for a television mast at the site.
A council spokesperson said they were not aware of any complaints in relation to the masts and they would not take action unless a written complaint was made to them.
Only one mobile phone operator, Meteor, confirmed that they did not own any masts at the site.
A comment from either Vodafone or O2 could not be obtained at the time of going to press.
However, both Vodafone and O2, are known to have erected numerous masts around Donegal in recent years without proper planning permission.
O2 submitted 12 retention applications for the 30 masts they erected here in the last five years. Retention applications are used to obtain planning permission after a structure has been built.
Meanwhile, six out of the last nine Vodafone mast applications have been for retentions.
One local person, who did not wish to be named, said residents there were concerned about the possible health implications of living near masts. The resident also expressed concern as to why mobile phone operators were not applying for planning permission.
"I would be concerned that emissions from the masts would affect the health of my children," the resident said.
Under the Planning and Development Act 2000 and associated regulations communications masts require planning permission.
According to the Department of Environment, studies have taken place into electromagnetic
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
field health effects in Ireland.
An Expert Group was established to examine a wide range of issues in relation to potential health effects of electromagnetic fields, including those produced by mobile telecommunications. In their report, the group concluded that no adverse short or long-term health effects have been found from exposure to the radiofrequency signals produced by mobile phones and base station transmitters. Radiofrequency signals have not been found to cause cancer, the group added.
"From all the evidence accumulated so far, no adverse short or long term health effects have been shown to occur from exposure to the signals produced by mobile phones and base station transmitters," the report stated.
"However, studies have mainly involved looking at cancer and cancer-related topics. Among other studies being planned are those of children and adolescent mobile phone users and studies of health outcomes other than brain cancer including more general health outcomes including effects on sleep".
