Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 31 May 1994

Vol. 443 No. 4

Written Answers. - International Atomic Energy Agency.

Ivor Callely

Question:

172 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications Ireland's role and participation in the International Atomic Energy Agency; if the attention of the agency has been drawn to Ireland's concern over the British authorities' nuclear industry activity; if he will give details of the agency's deliberations.

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Cowen)

The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, is an autonomous international governmental organisation founded in 1957 under a decision of the United Nations. It has 113 members and Ireland has been a member since 1970.

While the agency's mandate generally is to foster the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, a number of aspects of its work are of interest to Ireland, mainly nuclear safety and radiological protection matters and nuclear non-proliferation. In particular, Ireland has been actively involved in the development of a safeguards system which protects against the diversion of nuclear material from peaceful purposes to uses in nuclear weapons proliferation and in the drafting of new conventions relating to nuclear safety and to liability and compensation in the event of a major accident. In addition we benefit from access to the agency's information systems which are of value to the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland and from a mutual assistance convention in the event of a serious radiological accident.

Membership of the IAEA also proves an important forum for Ireland to express its concerns on nuclear safety in general and to highlight particular concerns in relation to safety aspects of the UK's nuclear industry, including reprocessing and the Sellafield-THORP plant. Our concerns in this area, and in particular about THORP, were raised at recent meetings of the general conference of the IAEA and at board of governor's meetings.

At the moment, the IAEA's main deliberations are focused upon the strengthening of the safeguards system and completing the work on developing the nuclear safety convention and the convention on liability and compensation for nuclear damage in the event of nuclear accidents.