I propose to answer Questions Nos. 23 and 28 together.
The ministerial committee on nuclear safety held its second meeting on 6 May. At that meeting, the committee adopted a work programme encompassing a range of nuclear safety and radiological protection issues including the campaign against Sellafield.
The main activities under the work programme would come within the area of responsibility of my Department and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. However, the broad based composition of the committee will ensure an effective input, where relevant, of other Government Departments into the implementation of the programme. As appropriate, the committee will review progress of the implementation of the work programme with a view to ensuring its effective implementation.
In addition to issues directly relating to the Government's ongoing campaign against Sellafield and the UK nuclear industry generally, the committee's work programme will include a review of the national emergency plan for nuclear accidents, issues arising in regard to the County Louth residents' legal action against BNFL, a review of radon remediation measures and progress in regard to implementation of the EU Basic Safety Standards Directive.
The committee did not consider the recent ban on shipments of nuclear waste to the reprocessing plants at La Hague in France and at Sellafield as this issue arose after the committee last met. I was concerned to learn that a number of containers arriving at both plants were found to have radiation levels in excess of the acceptable limits.
I understand the German Federal Government has introduced a series of actions to deal with the problem including an investigation into the contamination, the introduction of a better reporting system, an improvement in technical measures and a ban on any further shipments until the transport system has been reorganised.
It is essential that the highest levels of safety are enforced in the transport of radioactive materials. I have been assured by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland that the incident is of no radiological significance to Ireland. Nevertheless, I am concerned about the dangers associated with the transport of nuclear fuel which have been highlighted by this incident and my Department will raise this matter at a meeting of the UK/Ireland Contact Group on radioactivity and nuclear safety matters tomorrow.
