Tayto Ireland is to face prosecution by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII), despite claims by the company that it learned only yesterday of a July 2004 order to carry out radon tests on its depot in Tralee, Co Kerry.
A spokesman for the RPII said a judicial process was already "in place". This means Tayto is among some 11 employers in the Kerry and Clare areas who are facing prosecution by the RPII because they failed to comply with a directive to carry out radon tests in their premises.
The company said management had launched an internal investigation into why it failed to act on the July 2004 directive, and would be investigating why it had learned of the order only from the RPII yesterday.
In a statement, it added that senior management had established direct contact with the RPII, and would be complying with the requirement to carry out radon tests "at the earliest opportunity."