asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the representations or questions, if any, put to the Soviet Embassy in Dublin following the recent nuclear explosion in Russia.
Written Answers. - USSR Nuclear Accident.
17.
In the course of contacts with the Soviet Embassy in Dublin, which provided some preliminary information about the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, my Department requested that further information be provided as soon as possible and conveyed the sympathy and concern of the Government about the disaster.
In addition, approaches have been made to the Soviet authorities in Moscow in this connection. The Netherlands Ambassador, representing the Presidency of the European Community, has conveyed to them the sympathy of the Twelve about the disastrous events in Chernobyl and has expressed our willingness to furnish any assistance possible. The Twelve also requested that the Soviet authorities provide all necessary assistance to citizens of the Community who wished to leave the affected region and have impressed upon the Soviet authorities the necessity of providing, without delay, full information to the European countries about the consequences and implications of the Chernobyl accident. Furthermore, our Embassy in Moscow, which has been closely following developments, has been in contact with the relevant authorities and has rendered all possible assistance to Irish citizens in the area.