Written Answers. - Nuclear Waste Transportation.
Dermot Ahern
Question:
46
Mr. D. Ahern
asked the
Minister for the Marine
the action, if any, he has taken to date in order to prevent the transport of nuclear waste by shipment in the Irish sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[9626/95]
I fully share the Deputy's concerns in this matter.
The Irish Sea has been used for the shipment of spent nuclear fuel and plutonium to and from Sellafield for several years. The transport of such materials through the Irish Sea, a narrow semi-enclosed sea with the densely populated areas in its environs, poses a threat to the safety of people living in these areas and to the marine environment generally. The ever increasing shipping traffic on the Irish Sea also presents a risk. The implications of an accident or collision need no spelling out by me to this House. At a very minimum, we need to have advance notification of the transiting of a ship carrying nuclear fuel through the Irish Sea so that contingency plans to deal with possible marine emergencies and to effect immediate response can be put in place. This matter is being pursued on an ongoing basis with the UK authorities. Concerns of small island developing states and other coastal states world wide, with regard to the transportation of nuclear materials between Japan and the UK and France led to the adoption in 1993 of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Code on the Safe Carriage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes in Flasks on Board Ships (the INF Code). The Code lays down standards for construction, equipment and operation of ships engaged in the carriage of irradiated nuclear fuel, plutonium and high-level radioactive wastes. I am somewhat reassured by the fact that the relevant requirements of the INF Code must be met and registered as such with the UK Marine Safety Agency.
In ongoing discussions at international level on the INF Code the Department has consistently argued for the following additional requirements to be put in place: decisive route planning and notification and consultation with coastal states while in transit; the restriction and exclusion of certain routes; an emergency response plan in the voyage plan in respect of the ship and cargo; and a compulsory requirement to salvage radioactive material and predetermination of responsibility for this in the voyage plan.
Our efforts in this respect, for which we have some support from other island states, will continue.
Other significant steps have been taken at international level. Mandatory ship reporting systems for ships carrying dangerous goods will come into effect on 1 January 1996. On 1 January 1997 measures will be put in place to allow for the adoption by the IMO of ship routeing systems including areas to be avoided. At present such measures may only be recommendatory. We are also pushing to have the INF Code incorporated into two EU Directives dealing with reporting arrangements for ships visiting Community ports or transiting Community waters. This would at least ensure that all types of radioactive and nuclear wastes being carried on ships would have to be notified in advance and would allow for early warning systems to be put in place.
As I have said, these are our minimum requirements given the prospect of continuing traffic on the high seas of radioactive materials. As you are no doubt aware this Government is opposed to the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and are seeking the closure of the Sellafield/THORP plant and the halting of any future expansion there. An interdepartmental committee on the Irish Sea has been established in order to progress Government Policy on Sellafield and the Irish Sea in line with the commitments given in theGovernment of Renewal policy document.
