International Atomic Energy Agency: Motion.

Minister for External Affairs (Dr. Hillery)

Tairgim:

Go n-aontuíonn Dáil Éireann le téarmaí Reacht na Gníomhaireachta Idirnáisiúnta do Fhuinneamh Admhach, ar oscailt le síniú i Nua Eabhrac, 26 Deireadh Fomhair, 1956, agus a leasaíodh i Vín, 4 Deireadh Fómhair, 1961.

The purpose of this motion, which I hope will be approved unanimously by the Dáil, is to enable the Government to become a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency is an autonomous intergovernmental organisation under the aegis of the United Nations, established to promote the peaceful use of atomic energy. Its statute, copies of which have been presented to the Dáil and made available in the Library, was approved at a conference convened for that purpose in September, 1956, entered into force on 29th July, 1957, and has so far been ratified by 102 Governments, including 95 members of the United Nations.

The main objective of the agency, as defined in its statute, is to "seek to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world". To achieve this the IAEA assists research on atomic energy and its practical application for peaceful purposes, including the production of electric power, with special consideration being given to less developed areas. It fosters the exchange of materials, equipment and technical information, and the training and exchange of scientists and experts. It has also established standards of safety for the protection of health and the minimisation of dangers to life and property from radiation, and provides for the application of those standards through a special advisory service on radiation protection and the disposal of radioactive waste. The agency also adminsters a safeguard system to ensure that the fissionable and other materials, services, equipment, facilities and information which it makes available are not used for the furtherance of any military purposes.

The work of the agency represents a major effort at international co-operation to which almost all States subscribe and there is no valid reason why Ireland should not support this effort. With the opening for signature last year of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, there has been considerable emphasis on the role which the IAEA can play in the development of the applications of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. It is in our interest to keep abreast of these developments, which could be relevant in the future to our economic progress and prosperity. It is also necessary for Ireland to follow these developments closely in the context of her disarmament work at the United Nations. Our candidature for membership of EURATOM, the European Atomic Energy Community, is also an important consideration in favour of membership of the IAEA, which would obviously be useful in the course of the negotiations which will precede our admission to EURATOM and to the other European communities.

Our financial contributions to IAEA are estimated at £10,000 a year. I am satisfied that this expenditure is not excessive and, having regard to the need for us to keep in close touch with developments in the peaceful uses of atomic energy and the general desirability of this country being a member of a world organisation of this kind, I believe that we should now join the agency. I, therefore, recommend that the Government should deposit its instrument of acceptance of the statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency at an early date and I ask the House to approve the motion I have moved.

Mr. Sweetman

Though it is rather extraordinary that this comes before the House only now after so many years, it is, perhaps, appropriate that it should come before the House in this week which has witnessed the greatest peaceful example of the progress of nuclear energy that this century has seen. It would be appropriate that one would take the opportunity, first, to congratulate the United States of America on the success of their project in landing the astronauts on the moon, to hope that the remaining stage will be successful tomorrow night and, most emphatically, to praise the courage of the three men concerned and of the astronauts who had previously pioneered in this way.

It is through the courage of pioneers in all walks of life that mankind has achieved progress and it is sincerely to be hoped that this magnificent feat and magnificent effort will be channelled in the cause of peace and will ensure that we will be able to get from the experience and the results of this feat a further stage in the development of progress for mankind.

As I say, although it is appropriate that this would be brought forward this week, I cannot understand the timetable in this respect and I cannot understand why the Minister did not refer to that.

This agency arose out of a suggestion that was made by President Eisenhower in December, 1953, and at the United Nations was adopted in its present form but not supported in its present form originally by Russia who wished to have this agency under the control of the Security Council with the consequent possibility of a veto. I think it is a desirable development that that was not done and that the agency was introduced in its present form rather than in the form of a body under the security of the council as such, with the consequent veto.

However, it was in 1956, as the Minister has said, that the agency was set up and it was later, in the summer of 1957, that it came into operation and, quite honestly, I cannot understand why we have waited until now for the proposal that we should sign to be brought before the House. The cost cannot be the reason because I agree entirely with the Minister that the amount involved is certainly not overextravagant for the part we are likely to play in this respect. We will be, perhaps, more a receiver of information and of benefits in that respect than a disseminator of them unless we are lucky enough to have in Ireland another example of the brilliance of somebody such as Dr. Walton whose joint progress in the research field, with his co-researcher, made the splitting of the atom possible. At the same time, there must have been some real reason. No matter how slowly great bodies may move, I do not believe that the Department of External Affairs or even the Minister's predecessor could have sat down for 12 years without some specific reason and the Minister might have indicated this reason to the House.

The objects of the statute appear clear and to be those with which everybody in Ireland would agree: to promote the peace, health and prosperity of mankind through the peaceful use of atomic energy. It seems extraordinary that we would not have come forward before now.

There was — and it is slightly relevant — an Atomic Energy Committee set up in 1956 by the then Government, which Atomic Energy Committee reported on 22nd May, 1958, a committee composed not merely of many of the leading personnel in Ireland in this field, but of virtually all the leading personnel in this field. As far as I can see from a consideration of that report, they did not make any advertence either to this agency. Perhaps, the Minister could indicate whether any consultations were held with that committee which are not adverted to in the report itself as to whether we should or should not join the agency and whether that committee considered anything more than the individual problem that was its primary purpose as to whether a reactor should be accepted here.

The Minister might also give the House some indication of the amount that had been made available to this agency in the way of material. I think the position was that some 5,000 kilogrammes of uranium were pledged to the agency by the United States of America as compared with 50 kilogrammes by Soviet Russia and I think a smaller amount by other countries that had appropriate material. We have not got and I do not think it is likely that we would ever have any uranium found here. We have raw material of this sort. Therefore, we cannot ourselves make any contribution in that respect. I do think it would be appropriate that the House would know what other countries have made their contribution and what the contributions of those countries would be. More important than all of it, however, for consideration by the Dáil is the real reason why this did not come before and why it has taken the Minister's predecessors 12 years to put apparently a simple motion like this in operation and even though the original statute was amended in 1961 and the amendments promulgated I think two years before — some six years ago. There must have been some reason for it and, perhaps, the Minister could tell the House.

Dr. Cruise-O'Brien

On behalf of the Labour Party, I should like to support the Minister's proposition and to join in his hope that this proposition will receive the unanimous approval of the Dáil. The International Atomic Energy Agency, whose membership is almost universal, is obviously an appropriate body for us to belong to. We can, as the Minister says, derive benefit from its work. Indeed, participation in its work, and membership of it, is a logical consequence of our membership in the United Nations, almost all of whose members belong to this institution.

Deputy Sweetman referred to the lunar astronauts. We should like to join in the congratulations which he thought should be extended to them and in the wish for the full and successful and happy completion of their great feat. This I think is probably not strictly pertinent to the Schedule of the International Atomic Energy Agency Bill and, perhaps, we should not be too pedantic about that. We, too, should like to hear from the Minister just why this apparently rather long delay has taken place in seeking the approval of the Dáil for the terms of this statute. I am sure there is an adequate reason for that. We should like to hear it from the Minister.

Dr. Hillery

I have a report here of the recommendation of the Atomic Energy Committee. Perhaps I might quote the following extract from this letter:

Apart from services and other facilities, the main advantage of membership of the agency seemed to the committee to lie in the possibility that any difficulties that might arise in the future in obtaining essential supplies of fissile fuel would be eased by membership, but that such an advantage could not be realised until such time as a power reactor was established here which would not be for at least five years. The advantages of immediate membership would have to be considered against the financial outlay involved. A realistic estimate of the time in which value from membership could be expected to accrue to this country would require estimates of future supplies of conventional fuels in relation to the expected demands for energy. The Electricity Supply Board might be able to help in the matter.

I read that extract to explain that this has been considered from time to time. Basically, the question of adherence to the agency has been considered — the main consideration, the likely value of technical benefits that this country might derive from membership. Naturally, we have to give careful consideration to any international commitments which we undertake. The thinking up to recently was in terms of the technical benefits which would derive from membership. In recent times, wider considerations have weighed in the balance of Ireland's being a member. The work of the agency represents a major effort at international co-operation to which almost all States subscribe.

There is no valid reason why Ireland should remain aloof from this effort at international co-operation. The big consideration is that the opening for signature of the United Nations Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons has put a considerable emphasis on the role which this agency can play in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Ireland must follow these developments closely in the context of Ireland's disarmament work at the United Nations. It would be anomalous now if we were not members.

In answer to the point about delay, I would say that if it were merely a matter of deriving benefit from the technical knowledge made available by membership, the pressure for membership was not such as to make it necessary to join. However, the wider considerations of our position in the United Nations in relation to the non-proliferation treaty, in which Ireland played a big part, and our attitude to the health and safety factors, these new factors are decisive to my mind in making us want to become members of the Atomic Energy Agency now. This has been decided by the Government at the instance of my predecessor. It is not a change of Minister that made a change of decision. The decision to ask the Dáil to accept this motion was taken to the Government by my predecessor.

I join with the other Parties in the acclamation of the attainments of the United States. I am sure that we as a country will let them know clearly how delighted and impressed we are at this great achievement of theirs for mankind.

Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 23 Jul 1969

International Atomic Energy Agency: Motion.

Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Jul 1969