Vol. 475 No. 4
147 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Environment the progress, if any, of the interdepartmental working group subordinate to the ministerial group; the documentation considered; the likely risk posed to the population of Ireland by installation and operations at Sellafield; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4934/97]
The interdepartmental working group established on foot of a Government decision of 5 November 1996 has since met on three occasions. The group is conducting an examination of all available evidence on the operations at Sellafield, including scientific reports which have recently become generally available. It is also exploring possibilities for obtaining additional evidence which could better inform consideration of the legal and other avenues available to the State to eliminate or limit the risks posed to the Irish population by Sellafield. Matters receiving attention in this regard include the adequacy of the present monitoring programmes of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) and consideration of the possible need for further health-effect related studies.
The working group assisted the recent initiative by the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland under the convention for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic calling on contracting parties to respect the general obligations of the convention in relation to the prevention and elimination of radioactive pollution and to support the cessation of technetium-99 discharges from Sellafield into the Irish Sea.
In addition to its primary areas of work, the working group is acting as a contact point with the County Louth residents in relation to the Government decision to offer State financial assistance and other support for their court action against BNFL. Extensive information on documentation held by Government Departments and the RPII, as well as copies or summaries of scientific reports and other documents likely to be relevant to the preparation of their case, have been supplied to the residents. The Department of Health, by way of further support, has offered to make medical and statistical experts available for a meeting to assist with the interpretation of health-related data.
