Vol. 482 No. 6
51 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the current study being undertaken by the Institute for Resource and Security Studies into the risks posed by the Sellafield nuclear complex; and if she will contact her British counterpart to ensure that the maximum relevant information is provided to enable a meaningful study to be completed. [18981/97]
I understand that in May of this year, a research study into highly radioactive waste management was commissioned jointly by the UK nuclear free local authorities and Irish local authorities, via the general Council of County Councils, to be undertaken by Dr. Gordon Thompson of the Institute for Resource and Security Studies of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Neither my Department nor the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland have been approached by Dr. Thompson for any input into this study.
The UK's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (the NII) is responsible for regulating the operational standards of UK nuclear installations. There are existing arrangements whereby the NII provides the RPII with information on UK installations; however, these contacts have emerged from Government to Government bilateral arrangements and would not be disclosed to external parties. Given the NII's statutory regulatory function, it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in a matter concerning the nature of information to be provided by a regulatory body in another jurisdiction in respect of a privately commissioned study of an installation in its jurisdiction. I should add however that I would certainly be interested in receiving the findings of the study.
