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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Apr 1978

Vol. 305 No. 10

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nuclear Power Station.

17.

asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he is satisfied that the members of the Nuclear Energy Board, individually and collectively, have an open mind on the question of principle whether or not to recommend the construction of a nuclear power station.

The answer is yes.

The Minister has told the House that the board have an open mind on the question of a nuclear power station. Will he tell the House why the board will not let the people know what is in their mind with regard to the current energy debate? Why are the board maintaining such a low profile?

All I can say with regard to the board and the competence of the members is that they were appointed by the Deputy's Government when they were in power.

I am talking about the current nuclear debate, which has become more acute in the last three or four months. Why are the board letting so little be heard or seen of them?

The board have been very active. This Question asked if they had an open mind. I referred the Deputy to the fact that it was his own Government who appointed the board. Their function is to advise the Minister on proposals for the construction of a nuclear power station and all aspects of installation, operation and supervision of such a station. In their annual report for 1976 the board referred to the growing public awareness in this country, as in many other countries, of the environmental impact of nuclear power and of the concern about its potential health hazards. The board point out that it is obviously essential that the public be kept properly informed of the implications of nuclear power. However, they acknowledge their role as an independent safety and regulatory authority and they recognise that they have no remit to promote nuclear energy.

It is curious that we have this board that was established with a set of specific purposes and yet they have been completely out of sight during the current debate.

I do not accept what the Deputy has said.

Have they been told by the Minister to stay totally out of sight?

They are not totally out of sight.

In view of the imminent publication of the Green Paper on national energy resources, will the Minister state if the board have been consulted by the Government in the preparation of the Green Paper?

I am sorry I have not that information in my brief. The following question goes into the matter in greater detail and it may help the Deputy.

18.

asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy (a) if he is satisfied that the Nuclear Energy Board are adequately promoting knowledge in nuclear science and adequately acting as an agency for the dissemination of information on matters relating to nuclear science, as required by section 5(1)(d) of the Nuclear Energy (An Bord Fuinnimh Núicléigh) Act, 1971; and (b) if so, if he will give examples of the board's exercise of those functions.

The Nuclear Energy Board first appointed in 1973 have the statutory duty to promote knowledge, proficiency and research in nuclear science and technology and to act as an agency for the collection and dissemination of information on matters relating to nuclear science. They have been gradually building up staff and expertise to enable them to fulfil their statutory functions and I am satisfied with their performance. To date they have carried out certain activities including—(a) sponsoring of Irish applications to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the EEC for scholarships and research grants and promoting and sponsoring Irish scientists and technologists for employment in the Joint Research Centre of Euratom, the JET fusion project of the EEC, and the International Atomic Energy Agency; (b) the building up of an information unit to provide nuclear information and data to interested bodies; (c) the provision of technical data to Irish research workers arising out of the board's appointment by the IAEA as the National Centre for its International Nuclear Information Service (INIS); and (d) the making of presentations to various conferences and seminars and the giving of press and radio interviews on nuclear topics of public interest; and (e) the board are also preparing the first issue of a journal which among other items will include articles designed to inform the public on issues related to nuclear technology and radiation safety.

Will the Minister consider that the question of reassuring the public with regard to the proposal for Carnsore Point would be appropriately a matter for the concern of this board? If so, could he give the House a single instance of the board or any of the members taking space in the newspapers or anywhere else to set at rest public misgivings?

The new journal that will be coming out shortly will set at rest many of the misgivings that have been in the public mind.

I accept that is a useful and valuable exercise but I should not think that a journal will have much public penetration. Would the Minister not consider whether the board could engage in a proper public demonstration in regard to the rights and wrongs of the matter, and in particular with regard to the safety aspects of this project?

They have been involved in various conferences and seminars. They have given press and radio interviews on topics relating to nuclear matters.

Is the Minister aware of the amount of public disquiet that exists in Wexford because of the lack of information to the general public? Secondly, is he prepared to consider having a public inquiry? Thirdly, is he prepared to consider a proper balanced discussion on television in order to make the public aware of the dangers——

These are separate questions.

They are relevant questions.

They are not relevant. I am calling Question No. 19.

19.

asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he has received a proposal for the construction of a nuclear-powered electricity generating station; and, if so, if he will state (a) the proposed capacity (b) the type of nuclear power (c) the estimated cost, and (d) the expected direct employment potential, excluding the construction phase, of the proposed station.

20.

asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the type of nuclear reactor that the ESB propose to build at Carnsore Point, County Wexford; where it will be purchased, if the Government give their approval; and the approximate cost.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together.

As the Deputies are no doubt aware the then Government, in November 1973, approved in principle a proposal that the ESB should proceed with a nuclear project on the basis that it would be reassessed before final contractual commitments were entered into.

The project was deferred temporarily in October, 1975 because of a reduction in demand for electricity at the time but has recently been reactivated by the ESB whose proposals are at present under consideration. Until the Government have made a decision on the ESB proposals I am not in a position to give the information requested by the Deputies and even then, I should point out, endorsement by the Government of the nuclear project at this stage would not involve a commitment of any kind as to a particular type of nuclear reactor or where it should be bought.

That is an interesting piece of news. Why does the fact that no specific decision has been made inhibit the Minister from giving the House information on the costs involved in the building of the project and on the potential employment there?

I am not in a position to give the information until the Government have made a decision on it.

Surely the Minister must have some idea of what the building will cost and what the potential employment there will be even before the Government have made a decision.

There has been a delay in getting a lot of the necessary information together, information that would facilitate the Government in coming to a decision. The Deputy will remember that in reply to a similar question some time ago it was stated that when all the necessary information has been compiled a decision will be taken. It would not be proper for me to give part of the information rather than to wait for the whole.

I cannot see why the Minister should be making such a secret of the cost. Surely he could give us an estimate of the cost of the building and of the potential employment.

The fact that it would be only an estimate would not be of much help to the House.

Is the Minister prepared to consider a public inquiry, and would he consider arranging a series of balanced discussions on TV?

Balanced on whose side?

The question refers to the type of power and the estimated cost. As far as the holding of a public inquiry is concerned, that is a separate Question, and I suggest that the Deputy puts down a Question.

Surely the Minister could give some information at this stage.

If Wexford County Council grant planning permission and if there is an appeal from it will it be an oral public hearing?

That depends on the Planning Board, who have the right to decide whether an oral hearing will be necessary. Personally I feel it would be a situation in which an oral hearing would be called for.

Surely the Planning Board cannot be concerned with matters of vital interest to the public at large. Is it not so that they can concern themselves only with the planning aspects of the application? Is it not therefore so that an oral hearing would be of no value so far as the public are concerned? What I should like to see is a public inquiry so that as many people as possible could be reassured in regard to the value or otherwise of this project, and the dangers of it.

I was asked by Deputy Corish if an oral hearing would be held. No matter what decision Wexford County Council arrive at, there will be an appeal one way or another, and on the matter of the type of inquiry the Deputy spoke of I suggest he would put down a separate Question.

Now that the question of planning appeals has been raised, will the Minister accept that it would be completely outside the Minister's power and jurisdiction to ask the inquiry to consider two matters, one the question whether we need a nuclear station at all and, two, what are the considerations in regard to the capacity of the economy to bear the cost of it?

21.

asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he will make available in the Oireachtas Library (a) the 1974 ESB site report on Carnsore Point, County Wexford; (b) the assessment of the ESB case by the Nuclear Energy Board; and (c) any further documentation submitted by the ESB to the Nuclear Energy Board in support of its argument for the building of a nuclear reactor on that site.

The ESB site report on Carnsore Point was submitted by the ESB to the Wexford Planning Authority, that is the Wexford County Council, in August 1974 with the application of the board for outline planning permission for a nuclear power station at Carnsore Point and is available for inspection by the public at the offices of the Wexford County Council.

A copy of this report was submitted by the ESB to the Department of Transport and Power in October 1974 with a request for the Minister's approval of the site as being suitable for a nuclear power station of the types described in the report. The then Minister for Transport and Power, under the provisions of the Nuclear Energy Act, 1971 requested the advice of the Nuclear Energy Board on the ESB proposals. The Nuclear Energy Board furnished their report in October 1976. The report was a preliminary assessment of the suitability of the site, and the Nuclear Energy Board indicated that before giving formal approval for the site the board would require a much more detailed assessment of a specific reactor design to be located at Carnsore.

I understand from the ESB that until such time as tenders are received it would not be possible for them to furnish the further detailed assessments required by the Nuclear Energy Board.

Copies of both reports were made available in the Oireachtas Library on 8 March.

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