Farmer says phone mast is making him ill

A Tipperary farmer in dispute with Vodafone over the erection of a mobile phone mast on his land has been asked to indemnity the company against future claims as part of any agreement on removing the installation.

John Ryan, who claims to have suffered a severe physical reaction to "radiation pollution" emanating from the mast, has been told by Vodafone that any agreement on its removal would have to serve as a final settlement of the matter. This would preclude Mr Ryan from taking a case against the company on the grounds that the mast may have damaged his health.

In a separate development, officials from the Health Service Executive (HSE) South Eastern area and the Department of Communications are to meet to discuss concerns surrounding Mr Ryan's health. This comes amid suggestions that the mast be removed to establish whether the farmer was suffering radiation pollution.

Mr Ryan had given permission for the mast to be erected on his farm at Golden under a €50,000 five-year deal with Vodafone. However, shortly after the mast was activated in March 2003, the farmer reported bouts of headaches, cramps and dizzy spells which he blamed on exposure to electro-magnetic fields (EMF).

The HSE regional assistant director of public health, Dr Anthony N de Souza, has written to the Department of Communications confirming Mr Ryan had experienced "spikes" of raised blood pressure at certain times of the day.

In addition, Mr Ryan "complains of prickling and burning sensations in the skin, pain and aches in the muscles and a burning in the chest and stomach.

"The symptoms are certainly real for Mr Ryan, but I don't know if these are due to EMF. But as no other cause was found and the symptoms started after the mast was erected on his farm this needs to be considered.

"The only certain way to ascertain whether the symptoms were due to EMF exposure is to remove the mast and see if the symptoms are alleviated," Dr de Souza wrote.

Vodafone has offered in recent weeks to remove the mast but only if Mr Ryan indemnifies the company against future claims and agrees to cover the cost of removing the installation.

The company said any agreement would also be contingent on Mr Ryan refraining from objecting to any planning application for a mast in his locality, The Irish Times has learnt.

While neither party would comment on the negotiations, citing confidentiality, it is understood Mr Ryan is refusing to sign the indemnity clause, and is instead offering to refund the company all fees it had paid to him to date - a total of €30,000 - and waive all future fees if the mast is immediately dismantled.

His case has been backed by local Fianna Fáil senator Martin Mansergh, who last month wrote to Vodafone saying: "It would be wrong in my opinion for a successful and profitable large corporation like Vodafone to adopt a punitive attitude to a farmer with few resources at his disposal."

The Department of Communications says scientific research has failed to prove that exposure to EMF through mobile phone antennae adversely affects human health. However, the matter remains a subject of some controversy.

In a statement Vodafone said: "While we, of course, sympathise with the symptoms Mr Ryan has described, we firmly believe that they have nothing to do with our mast, and there is no evidence to suggest the contrary."