HEALTH IMPLICATIONS:THE DUST observed on cars and windows around the State in recent days is not volcanic ash, the Government taskforce on emergency planning said yesterday. It also moved to dampen down fears about the health implications of the ash plume from the Icelandic volcano.
Maurice Mullen of the Department of Transport said the Environmental Protection Agency had a monitoring programme in place and it found no evidence of volcanic ash.
“They have done some testing furthermore and have found no evidence of that,” he said. Dust was sampled between Friday lunch time and Saturday lunch time and the results showed no evidence of volcanic ash.
“So as the experts have advised in the last day or two, it remains the situation that it is extremely remote that this is volcanic ash that we are dealing with.”
He also said that the amount of ash likely to come to ground was minimal and the impact on health would be equally minimal. However, he advised people with respiratory conditions to have their medication with them at all times.
The World Health Organisation has advised people with lung conditions such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema and asthma to stay indoors if volcanic ash starts to settle.
The Health Service Executive said signs of volcanic ash in the air included itchy or irritated eyes, runny nose, sore throat or dry cough. The sulphur dioxide in the ash could give rise to a smell similar to rotten eggs.
The Asthma Society of Ireland said there was no need for undue concern at the moment, but if the situation changed, people with respiratory conditions may notice their symptoms worsening.
This depended on factors such as the concentration of particles in the ash, the level of exposure to the ash and the individual’s asthmatic history.
The Government taskforce also said the HSE was dealing with requests for air ambulance services on a “case-by-case basis”, in consultation with the Department of Defence and the Irish Aviation Authority.
Olivia Kelleher adds: The Naval Service has been requested by the HSE to be prepared to transfer children in need of transplant operations to the UK by sea if required.
The LE Róisínhas been dispatched to the Irish Sea where she will be on call to dock in Dublin at immediate notice and take on board patients and support staff to the most convenient port in the UK.
