About a hundred Irish troops have been based in Kosovo for just over a year. Last September, their camp and the area around it was checked for radioactivity. An army spokesman said the risk was found to be negligible. He said that most of the depleted uranium weapons were used in another part of Kosovo, the southwest. Irish personnel have been warned about the biggest risks from the uranium dust - drinking water, or eating fruit or vegetables from this part, or approaching armoured vehicles which might have been targeted.
The statement also says that the defence forces take precautions to monitor the health of all personnel who serve abroad. Medical examinations are conducted prior to deployment abroad and prior to return to Ireland. Furthermore, additional measures are in place to monitor personnel who have served in Kosovo where there is any indication of specific exposure.
This information follows news that France has joined Italy, Portugal and Belgium in asking NATO to investigate a suspected link between its use of ammunition containing depleted uranium during the Balkans conflict, and cases of cancer among peacekeeping troops who served in the region. Depleted uranium is used in the manufacture of armour-piercing ammunition. Finland, Spain and Portugal are carrying out tests on soldiers who served in either Kosovo or Bosnia.
Italy had requested urgent information following the deaths of six of its troops from leukaemia. Although the Italian defence ministry said that no link has been found between the depleted uranium munitions and the soldiers’ deaths it has called on the organisation to stop using them. NATO said that it used the ammunition in Bosnia between 1994-1995, in Kosovo in 1999 and during the Gulf War against Iraq in 1991. Speaking on Morning Ireland today NATO spokesman Mark Laity, denied there was any cause for alarm he also said that no information would be withheld.
