Public concerns around potential health hazards of 5G technology have led to calls for its rollout to be suspended until these matters can be independently investigated and resolved.
Leading the charge for 5G to be put on hold until such time as public anxieties around its health and safety can be allayed is Cllr Aisling Moran.
She called on the Minister for Communications, Richard Bruton to stop the rollout of 5G, fifth generation cellular technology, across the country.
“We as a Council and public representatives have a moral and ethical responsibility to protect the health and wellbeing or all our citizens.
“There is a reason why insurance companies will not insure 5G, this needs to be investigated further by an independent company with no prospect of financial gain,” she maintained.
The motion was seconded and supported by Cllr Caroline Dwane-Stanley.
“I don’t want to stop the rollout of 5G but I want it put on hold. There are health concerns that it may cause cancer, I don’t know but those concerns are there and I’m not a medical person or an engineer.
“The local authorities should engage with the public and we need an independent review of the technology championed by the government. We all want broadband, but not at the expense of the public health. That may be just scaremongering, but we need to know,” said Cllr Dwane.
She went on to state that there had been speculation that 5G devices were attached to the new LED public lights being installed, but that this was unfounded and not the case.
Cllr Padraig Fleming agreed that the matter of concerns around 5G had been raised repeatedly on the doorsteps during this year’s local elections.
Cllr Tom Mulhall confirmed that those concerns are out there. “Technology is great, but where is it all going to end up,” he asked?
Not for the first time Cllr Moran demonstrated that she had done her homework before tabling the motion.
“There are arguments for and against 5G, but we need to look at the facts. There is still no report done by an independent body that states that electro-magnetic fields, EMFs, are safe and we need to be sure that this technology will not compromise the health and well-being of our people.
“5G is the next generation of cellular technology. It is a high frequency millimetre wave band that is short in length and can only travel short distances. This means there will be thousands of antennas needed to make it work effectively.
“There will be antennas every 50 to 150 metres apart. We will be exposed to electromagnetic radio waves everywhere, on every street, in our public areas, on poles, on houses, there will be no getting away from them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 52 weeks the year. Yes we will have much faster upload & download speeds, but at what cost?
“Why have countries like Germany and Belgium stopped the rollout of 5G?
“There was hundreds of thousands of petitions signed and there are numerous reports from scientists from all over the world stating that EMFs are a serious Health concern. Proof that they can have a serious effect on our bodies. EMFs attack or Nervous system, our Endocrine system, causes stress, insomnia, dementia, Alzheimer’s, attacks our DNA, which in turn can cause cancers and tumours, it lowers fertility, lowers libido and can attack the DNA in sperm cells.
“Causes cardiac issue. There is a 13% rise globally in childhood cancers over the past 20 years. Over 270 Scientist from all over the world have asked the European Commission to put a moratorium on the rollout of 5G due to serious concerns over health issues caused from Higher radiation exposure.
“Why have insurance companies like Lloyds excluded cover for illnesses caused by EMFs?
“Risk teams at global reinsurance firms have warned the Insurance Industry that unforeseen consequences of EMF could lead to a raft of claims and significant liability losses in the next 10 years,” claimed Cllr Moran.
She added: “I’m not asking to halt progress, but rather that we slow down and get the true facts. So I’m asking that we put a hold on the rollout of 5G until there is an independent evaluation of the impact 5G has on humans, wildlife and the environment.
“The Government are spending €3 billion to make high speed fibre broadband available to all our citizens in a safe, secure and reliable form. Why do we need to put our citizen’s health at risk?
“Do the report and then talk about rolling it out. Let’s not be putting the cart before the ass,” she concluded.
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