Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 May 1990

Vol. 399 No. 2

Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers. - Nuclear Inspection Force.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

7 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Energy if he proposes, in the context of Ireland's Presidency of the EC, to raise as a matter of priority the possibility of the establishment of a Europe-wide inspectorate accountable to the Commission, the Council and the Parliament of the European Communities in respect of the monitoring, inspection and maintenance of environmental standards and safety requirements of all civilian nuclear power installations within the Community; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

38 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Energy the steps he will take during Ireland's Presidency of the EC Council of Ministers to encourage the Commission to establish a nuclear inspectorate under the Euratom Treaty which would have powers to inspect nuclear power stations of member states in order to ensure that they comply with European safety standards.

Mr. Molloy

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 38 together.

The Government decided that the question of an independent nuclear inspection force should be a priority during Ireland's Presidency of the EC.

In line with this policy, the Commission, at my urging, decided to resume, after a gap of 20 years, inspection of monitoring facilities in member states as a limited first step in this direction. What we are pressing for is an independent nuclear inspection force which could inspect all nuclear installations to ensure that the basic safety standards are compiled with. My Department have sought the establishment of the full inspection force at meetings of the relevant council bodies. Support from most other member states for our stance has been disappointing.

At a meeting with the UK Secretary of State for Energy on Friday last, I made Ireland's position in relation to a Community inspection force clear. I also expressed Ireland's opposition to the continued operation of the Sellafield plant.

At the EC Council of Energy Ministers on Monday, I tabled a report from the Commission on Energy and the Environment for discussion. The Council agreed that discussions on nuclear energy and environment issued should be pursued including safety, transport and waste, including waste from the decommissioning process. In the course of the discussion, the Council were clearly informed of Ireland's views on nuclear safety and related issues. In particular, our continued opposition to the Sellafield plant and our demand for a Community inspection force were reiterated. This commitment by the Energy Council is the first time it has undertaken a wide ranging discussion on nuclear energy and safety issues which I hope will lead to a more active role for the Community in this area.

Mr. R. Bruton

Will the Minister confirm first that there is a clear mandate for the inspection force? If there is such a clear mandate, can he explain why it has been blocked? Could I ask him further whether he has sought to challenge under Article 32 of the Euratom Treaty the existing safety standards in British nuclear plants which have been totally discredited by the recent Gardner report on childhood leukaemia?

Mr. Molloy

I am not clear what the Deputy means by a clear mandate. This Government have a clear mandate in their policy.

Mr. R. Bruton

In the newspaper reports of the Council meeting it was indicated that the Irish Government took the view that there was a clear mandate under the Articles of the Euratom Treaty and the suggestion was that others were disputing it. Could I establish that there is that clear mandate? Is there any way the Minister can force the pace by taking court action or by other means?

Mr. Molloy

There is a mandate in that the power is there for the Commission to establish an inspectorate of nuclear plants. The problem is that the Commission has not chosen to exercise its power. That is the stand that the Irish Government have been taking in trying to get the Commission to exercise the powers that are there under Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty. It is a position that we have held consistently and will continue to advocate until we gain sufficient support which will require the Commission eventually to take heed.

Mr. T. Kitt

As Question No. 4 relates to the risks associated with the British nuclear industry, would I be right in assuming that Question No. 22 would fall within the ambit of this debate?

An Ceann Comhairle

The method and manner of taking questions is one for the Minister himself.

Mr. T. Kitt

I am putting the question to the Minister also.

Mr. Molloy

Question No. 4 was not taken.

Mr. R. Bruton

In view of the continued failure of the Minister's efforts to produce results in this area, would he not agree that it will be very difficult to make progress with what is a club of Energy Ministers, many of whom are committed to the nuclear industry? Would the Minister, therefore, not agree that it is time now to shift the initiative in this area to the Heads of State who could get a sensible set of rules for nuclear safety established Europe wide?

Mr. Molloy

I do not know why the Deputy seeks to emphasise the word failure in relation to me. I have been in the Department since last July and since then some major moves——

Mr. R. Bruton

It is not a personal attribution.

Mr. Molloy

——and some positive progress has been made in establishing the inspection of monitoring facilities and in having nuclear safety put firmly on the agenda of the Energy Council of Ministers for the very first time. We now have a platform whereby we, as a member state, can continue to bring forward our desires to seek the implementation of our policies——

Mr. R. Bruton

And never get them supported——

Mr. Molloy

——at formal meetings of the Council of Energy Ministers. It was not possible for us to do this before, and this is a major advance that was made at the Council meeting this week during the Irish Presidency.

Mr. R. Bruton

It was reported by the Irish Press as a disastrous failure.

Mr. Molloy

I am glad the Deputy raised the issue of the Irish Press report, which was highly inaccurate. Indeed a foolish colleague of his had himself thrown out of this House over it. Unfortunately, I was not present at the time or I would have had the opportunity to tell him the facts. If the Fine Gael Party are going to depend on inaccurate reporting in the newspapers as their only source of information, that is regrettable. They could have contacted my Department and are free to do so, and I have been forthcoming with information on all of these matters because we have a common interest. Instead they are seeking to play politics with this issue.

Mr. R. Bruton

All the newspapers reported that the initiative had been rejected.

Mr. Molloy

That is not so. The initiative was not rejected. I do not understand why the Deputy does not support our progress.