Vol. 500 No. 2
121 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the findings that the levels of technetium 99 found in seaweed at Cooleypoint, Dundalk, County Louth, were found to be nearly five times the European intervention levels for radioactivity in food after a nuclear accident; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3880/99]
I am aware that increased levels of technetium-99 have been found in the north-eastern Irish Sea. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, RPII, undertakes a regular and comprehensive environmental radioactivity monitoring programme of Irish coastal waters. The RPII publishes its results annually in its annual report and also releases bi-annual detailed reports, the most recent of which deals with the 1996-7 period.
The RPII data indicates significant increases since 1994 in concentrations of technetium-99 in seaweed sampled along the north-east Irish coastline as a result of increased discharges from Sellafield. However the highest measurements made by the RPII for the north-eastern Irish coast are more than 100 times lower than the level detected on the Sellafield coastline.
The RPII is aware that very high levels of technetium-99 were found in lobsters collected near Sellafield. However, levels of this radionuclide detected in Irish marine produce remains very low. The RPII emphasises that the levels detected by the RPII in fish and shellfish from Irish coastal waters are below EU safety limits.
Despite the occurrence of certain concentrations of radioactivity in parts of the Irish Sea, it is the considered judgment of the RPII, based on the results of its detailed monitoring programme, that doses arising from radioactive contamination of the Irish Sea are very small and that the situation does not give grounds for any reservations by the Irish public about eating fish, or in any other way enjoying the amenities of the Irish Sea. Nevertheless, it is clearly objectionable from an Irish viewpoint that any contamination of the Irish Sea should result from the operations of nuclear installations in other countries.
The Government's objective is, of course, the cessation of all radioactive discharges into the Irish Sea. I have availed of every opportunity to highlight Ireland's opposition to the radioactive contamination of the environment, particularly the marine environment.
The most immediate issue relating to marine discharges from Sellafield is the decision to be made by UK Ministers on BNFL's revised discharge authorisation limit following the referral by the UK Environment Agency to the UK Ministers of the agency's draft decision in the matter. I have written to the UK Ministers objecting to the Environment Agency's draft decisions on the grounds that the proposed reductions in technetium-99 are totally inadequate and at variance with the positive commitment given by the UK Ministers at the OSPAR ministerial meeting in July last.
