Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 4

Written Answers. - Technetium 99 Levels.

Dermot Ahern

Question:

580 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if his attention has been drawn to the recent report regarding monitoring of levels of the radioactive isotope technetium 99 in foodstuffs and seaweed in the Irish Sea as a result of the commissioning of THORP and EARP; the plans, if any, he has to raise this issue with the authorities in the United Kingdom; the plans, if any, he has to raise this issue at European Commission and Council of Minister level in order to ensure that remedial actions are instituted forthwith; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1107/97]

Dermot Ahern

Question:

583 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications his views on the revelations that assessment of lobsters and other seafood in the Cumbria area of Wales shows 14 times the recommended level of technetium 99; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1286/97]

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Stagg)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 583 together.

I am fully aware of reports about high levels of technetium-99 found in lobsters and some other shellfish produced near the Cumbrian coast. Such reported levels exceed the safety thresholds which would apply in the aftermath of a nuclear emergency and have aroused media attention accordingly.

The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland's programme of monitoring of radioactivity in the Irish marine environment has detected comparatively sharp increases since 1994 in the levels of technetium-99. The institute recently drew attention to these increases in its published report "Radioactivity Monitoring of the Irish Marine Environment 1993 to 1995". However, the RPII has stated that increases detected do not represent a hazard to shellfish consumers in Ireland. The RPII is intensifying its monitoring programme to ensure that any increased levels of radioactivity which may occur, due to technetium-99 discharges from Sellafield, will be detected quickly.

Subsequent to these reports, I wrote to the UK Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food expressing my concerns and requested that they use powers available to them to order the immediate and complete cessation of the discharge of technetium-99 from Sellafield into the Irish Sea. In the course of his recent reply to me, the UK Secretary of State for the Environment, Mr. John Gummer, said it would be inappropriate for him to intervene while the UK's environment agency is considering BNFL's recent application for a variation to their existing liquid discharge authorisation. However, he assured me he would maintain a close interest in the matter and would not hesitate to use statutory powers should it prove necessary.

I have also written directly to the responsible European Commissioner, Ritt Bjerregaard. In addition, I have made the necessary preparations to have the question of radioactive discharges from Sellafield raised again at a ministerial meeting later this year of the Commission for the Protection of the Environment of the North East Atlantic established under the Paris and Oslo Conventions dealing with the prevention of marine pollution.