Vol. 480 No. 6
142 Mildred Fox asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will protest to the British Government in respect of British Nuclear Fuel Limited's plans to increase discharges from the Sellafield nuclear plant; if she will make a submission during the consultation period when it opens; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14533/97]
Since taking office one of my main concerns has been the on going question of radioactive discharges from the Sellafield complex into the aerial and marine environment.
In November and December 1996, BNFL applied to the UK Environment Agency for a variation of Sellafield's aerial and liquid discharge authorisations. While the significance of the changes in the discharge authorisation limits for Ireland in radiological terms is likely to be small, any additional contamination of the environment is unacceptable.
My Department has already put on record its preliminary concerns about BNFL's application and has reserved the right to make further detailed comments on both aerial and liquid discharge authorisations when the UK Environment Agency issues its draft authorisations for public consultation.
