asked the Minister for Energy if he is satisfied, in the context of the present and future development of uranium mining in County Donegal and of the ancillary workings connected therewith, that the environment will be adequately protected that is, in relation to water and atmospheric pollution; and that the health of persons directly employed in the industry is not, and will not be at risk.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Uranium Mining.
5.
There is, of course, no actual mining of uranium in Ireland at present. A uranium deposit of economic size and grade has not so far been discovered, so the question of mining of uranium does not arise at the present time. If, however, at some future date such an economic deposit were to be located, it would be necessary for a prospective mine operator to secure planning permission from the local planning authority to obtain a mining lease or licence from my Department and to secure a separate licence from the Nuclear Energy Board before a mine development could take place. The most stringent conditions would be applied to such an operation and the appropriate authorities would have to be fully satisfied in regard to the impact of a proposed mining operation on health, safety and the environment.
There are at present a number of companies prospecting for uranium in certain parts of the country, including County Donegal, under prospecting licences issued by my Department. the Nuclear Energy Board, the statutory authority in Ireland in relation to radioactive substances, have advised that there is no evidence that prospecting operations in County Donegal or elsewhere in the county lead to any radiation hazard. The board's advice in this matter is based on their study of the available information on the impact of uranium activities worldwide, on discussions with national and international regulatory authorities and on the results of a continuing programme of radioactivity measurements on water samples from certain areas in which uranium prospecting operations have been in progress. The board have also carried out some studies of soil, rock and air but they decided at an early date that water sampling was the most direct and sensitive method of detecting a possible contamination problem.
I am satisfied that the prospecting work in progress does not constitute a hazard to workers employed on prospecting sites, to local water supplies or to the general environment in the vicinity of prospecting sites.
Would the Minister be prepared to name the experts who are involved in giving advice to the Department of Energy or the Nuclear Energy Board or suchlike? It would appear that there is a great variation of opinion which, in itself, appears contradictory.
The Nuclear Energy Board have consulted authorities which include the EEC, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Nuclear Energy Agency, the United Kingdom National Radiological Protection Board, The British Geological Survey, the French Safety Directorate of the Atomic Energy Commission and the West German, Danish, Italian and Canadian experts.
From the Minister's reply, it would appear that Donegal's potential is such that the necessity for the granting of permission to mine would be negligible. Would he not agree at this stage, to protect Donegal's two inexhaustible sources of revenue — tourism and the environment — that any such exploration should be prohibited forthwith?
There is quite a distinction between prospecting for radioactive substances such as uranium, and the actual mining. As stated in my reply, if the question of mining ever arose the operator would need planning permission from the local authority. He would also need a licence or lease from my Department and a separate licence from the Nuclear Energy Board. Obviously, my Department, the Nuclear Energy Bord and the relevant local authority would take every circumstance into account before granting a licence to mine. Certainly, my Department, together with the Nuclear Energy Board, would ensure that all environmental considerations were fully examined before granting any lease or licence.
A final supplementary, please.
Would the Minister agree, with experts on both sides of this question of mining and exploration, classifying themselves as experts and quoting contradictory end products or results, that the question should be determined by a referendum on the question of mining in this country?
Any question of a referendum would have to be considered by the Government. I have every confidence that the officials in my Department and those attached to the Nuclear Energy Board are fully competent to deal with any question which may arise in relation to prospecting and mining.
Deputy Blaney.
Would the Minister not agree that the Nuclear Energy Board were constituted for the study of the development of nuclear energy and that any advice which may have been tendered — well meaning though it may be — must be suspect on the basis that they are all pro-nuclear people on that board? Furthermore, is he not aware that such is the disquiet among the population in and around the site of the explorations in Donegal, that some members of the committee who are against this whole process, because of the dangers involved, are making arrangements to move out of the area at very great disadvantage because of the information which they have received from very well qualified people throughout the world. The members of the Nuclear Energy Board are surely not the people who should determine the issue, as they are pro-nuclear and the board were set up as such from the start.
I am not aware of the opinions of the members of the Nuclear Energy Board——
I am.
——but would take them as people of integrity who would carry out their duties as members of the Nuclear Energy Board under the Act which established the board — the Nuclear Energy Act of 1971. The board have broad advisory functions for the Minister for Energy. I do not accept what Deputy Blaney has said.
Finally, I ask the Minister——
I am sorry. We have delayed for a long time on this. A final supplementary, Deputy, please.
In response to repeated calls, would the Minister not include in an inquiry, as a matter of grave urgency, the exploration of uranium? All other matters are being inquired into but this matter has been excluded. Why should it be so excluded? There is danger, according to esteemed world experts.
All that I can say is that all the advice available in my Department considers such an inquiry as unjustified.
Is the Minister aware that Deputy Blaney is misinformed in regard to the Nuclear Energy Board? Its name may be misleading, but in fact its functions relate to radioactivity of all kinds, including radiation hazards in hospitals and elsewhere. It exercises functions in that regard and is the statutory body established to advise the Minister on radiation hazards. It is not pro- or antinuclear.
I stated, in reply to a supplementary question, that the members of the Nuclear Energy Board were men of integrity who would carry out their responsibilities under the Act that established their board. I also stated that the members of the Nuclear Energy Board have broad advisory functions in regard to my Ministry. To that extent, I did not misinform anybody in the House.
I did not auggest that the Minister did. I said that Deputy Blaney was misinformed.
I thank Deputy Colley for clarifying the question for the Minister. We have dealt with this question at great length. Ceist 6.
The Ceann Comhairle will agree that I did not misinform Deputy Colley.
I did not suggest that.
Deputy Colley was merely informing the Minister.
They are whacking the same horse together.