TV PRESENTER EAMONN Holmes has clarified comments he made about 5G and theories linking it to Covid-19.

The This Morning presenter came in for criticism for stating that it is ”very easy” to dismiss the 5G theory “because it suits the state narrative”.

In a discussion with Alice Beer on the programme in relation to fake news, he said:

“I totally agree with everything you are saying but what I don’t accept is mainstream media immediately slapping that down as not true when they don’t know it’s not true.

“No-one should attack or damage or do anything like that but it’s very easy to say it is not true because it suits the state narrative.”

The presenter added: “That’s all I would say, as someone with an inquiring mind.”

The UK’s media regulator Ofcom received hundreds of complaints about his statement.

Holmes clarified his comments on the programme today, stating:

“Both Alice Beer and myself agreed in a discussion on this very programme on fake news that it’s not true and there is no connection between the present national health emergency and 5G and to suggest otherwise would be wrong and indeed it could be possibly dangerous.

“Every theory relating to such a connection has been proven to be false and we would like to emphasise that.

“However, many people are rightly concerned and looking for answers and that’s simply what I was trying to do to impart yesterday.

“But for the avoidance of any doubt I want to make it clear no scientific evidence to substantiate any of those 5G theories. I hope that clears that up now”.

Vandalism

His comments come as Assistant Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach Liz Canavan warned against damaging mobile phone masts at her daily Covid-19 briefing this morning. 

Gardaí suspect two large telecommunications masts were set on fire deliberately in Donegal over the weekend. 

The Donegal masts went on fire at Long Lane and Dr McGinley Road in Letterkenny. 

Vandalism to mobile phone masts will disrupt vital services, said Canavan, adding: 

“There is absolutely no truth to the rumours about Covid-19 and 5G.”

She said mobile and telephone masts provide a vital service at a time when people are told to stay at home.

Vandalism to the masts means a fall out in the service, and means people will not be able to contact emergency services, family and friends.

Canavan encouraged people not to spread misinformation about 5G and links to Covid-19, stating that there is “no truth” to the theories according to the EU Commission and the World Health Organisation.  

Gardaí say that an examination of the sites where the fires took place found pieces of coal.

A full forensic examination of both scenes is currently being carried out. 

A garda source said: “We do suspect the fires were started deliberately. Traces of coal were found near the control boxes beside the masts.

“We are awaiting the results from our forensic boys but we do suspect this was a deliberate act.”

Local county councillor, Gerry McMonagle, who lives near the scene, condemned the attacks, saying:

“We all have our concerns about 5G and we are all awaiting the results of various reports.

“But the reality is that we simply cannot take the law into our own hands and do something like this. It is vandalism at the end of the day no matter what anyone thinks.

“I would appeal to people to desist from engaging in this type of behaviour. The gardaí have enough to be doing without attending scenes like this.” 

A number of similar incidents have been recorded in the UK in recent weeks.

5G rollout

5G is the next step up from the 4G and 3G services offered through mobile phones. It is capable of much faster download and upload speeds.

Vodafone was the first network to offer it to customers last year, but many other mobile phone networks are now following suit.

A number of communities in Ireland have voiced concerns about the arrival of 5G in Ireland, in particular the impact of mobile masts and associated infrastructure on humans.

Councillors in Clare, Leitrim, Sligo and Wicklow have passed motions raising objections to 5G on health grounds, while protests have been held in towns such as Dingle in Kerry.

In light of the pushback, last year Ibec chief executive Danny McCoy wrote to Ministers Richard Bruton and Eoghan Murphy stating that it would be a disaster for businesses if 5G was blocked in any way.

A motion calling for a government review of the 5G rollout in Ireland was supported by the Sinn Féin Ard Comhairle at the party’s Ard Fheis last year, but was defeated.  

The motion called for the government to provide health warnings where applicable to citizens on such technologies.

Earlier this year, new EU guidelines said that EU countries including Ireland can restrict or ban high-risk 5G vendors from core parts of their telecoms networks. 

In February, Switzerland placed an indefinite moratorium on the use of the 5G network because of health concerns. 

A number of EU countries are yet to determine their 5G policy, with the primary concern in relation to its rollout largely focused on Chinese company Huawei and its equipment in 5G mobile networks. Some countries, like the US, have cited serious security issues. 

The US administration has raised concerns about 5G technology provided by Chinese firms such as Huawei with the Irish government, with a US Senator specifically raising it with Tánaiste Simon Coveney during a meeting in 2018.