No-smoking hospital seeks mobile mast
Friday June 06 2008
A HOSPITAL which banned smoking on its campus on health grounds has applied for a mobile phone mast to be erected on its roof.
The planning request has been lodged by Vodafone following a request from St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, the Irish Independent has learned.
But campaigners against mobile phone masts yesterday condemned the move and claimed it was still not yet clear what impact mobile phone masts had on people's health.
Dr Philip Michael, chairman of the Irish Doctors Environmental Association, said he was worried about a mast being so close to sick, elderly and young patients. "It will take many years yet before it is possible to say for certain if these are bad for people's health," he warned. Last year a government working group said there was no evidence of short or long-term health dangers from exposure to signals from phone masts. But it recommended new power lines be sited away from heavily populated areas.
A spokesperson for the hospital, which will be the first to ban smoking on its grounds from next year, said the mast would provide enhanced mobile phone coverage for patients and staff on the campus.
"An application for planning permission has been submitted and it will meet with all the necessary guidelines", he added.
A spokesperson for Vodafone said the mast's "main objective" was to provide good reception for people in or near the hospital. "You can imagine the amount of usage and customers passing through that area," she said.
- Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent
