Vol. 472 No. 1
326 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he will detail the contacts he personally has made at Ministerial level to achieve a revision of the EURATOM Treaty in view of the importance attached by the Irish Presidency to such a revision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22620/96]
329 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the country which put forward the discussion paper, CONF/3877/96, regarding the possibility of strengthening the nuclear safety and environmental provisions of the EURATOM Treaty in the context of enlargement; the progress, if any, to date on the issue; if he will make available Ireland's response to the paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22616/96]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 326 and 329 together.
I refer the Deputy to my answers to Parliamentary Question No. 13 of 2 July 1996 and Question No. 7 of 24 October last in which I clearly set out Ireland's general position concerning review of the health and safety provisions of the EURATOM Treaty.
The discussion paper, CONF/3877/96, to which the Deputy refers was, in fact, submitted by the Irish delegation to the Intergovernmental Conference on 19 July last. A copy of the document has been forwarded to the Oireachtas Library. The main purpose of the discussion document was to promote discussion on the challenges of enlargement as regards ensuring high standards of nuclear safety and radiological protection in the EU.
On the basis of initial consideration of Ireland's discussion paper there would appear to be little support for addressing this issue by means of an amendment to the EURATOM Treaty at present. As the Deputy is aware, any amendment of the EU Treaty requires unanimity. There are, of course widely diverging views among member states about the benefits of nuclear power. There are also different perceptions as to whether the strengthening of nuclear safety can best be addressed by means of a treaty change.
There have been no contacts made at ministerial level by me concerning the terms of the discussion paper. Consideration of any such contacts and the future approach by the Irish delegation to this subject will take account of the factors which I have mentioned.
