Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 May 1992

Vol. 419 No. 1

Written Answers. - Radioactive Waste.

Donal Carey

Question:

55 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Energy if he has satisfied himself with the terms of the directive on the supervision and control of radioactive waste which is based on the Euratom Treaty and agreed by the EC Environment Ministers recently, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Energy (Mr. Molloy)

I presume the Deputy is referring to Council Directive 92/3/Euratom of 3 February, 1992 on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste between Member States and into and out of the Community. The Directive must be implemented in member states no later than 1 January, 1994 and requires that shipments of radioactive waste between member states and into and out of the Community must be subject to a system of prior authorisation. I can only welcome any Community measure which provides for the safe shipment of such waste so as to protect the workers involved and the environment in general.

The impetus for this Directive arose from a European Parliament resolution in 1988 on the findings of a Committee of Inquiry into the Handling and Transport of Nuclear Materials. This resolution calledinter alia for comprehensive Community rules to make transfrontier movements of nuclear waste subject to a system of strict controls and authorisations from their point of origin to their point of storage. Ireland has consistently called for the implementation of all the other aspects of this resolution, including the revision of the Euratom Treaty to give the Community more comprehensive powers in the area of nuclear safety, as well as the full exercise of the inspection rights of the Commission which already exist under the Treaty.