Written Answers. - Hazardous Waste.
Brendan Howlin
Question:
20
Mr. Howlin
asked the
Minister for the Marine
and Natural Resources the plans, if any, he has to reduce the number of vessels passing through the Irish sea carrying nuclear waste in view of the potential dangers of these vessels.
[24739/99]
The position in relation to this matter is as I outlined to the House on 29 September 1999 and 7 October 1999. I would prefer if shipments of this nature did not take place.
Indeed, the Government is opposed not only to the transport of nuclear fuels by sea but also to the very existence of Sellafield. The question of a ban, however, on the passage of ships carrying nuclear materials is fraught with difficulties, given the right of innocent passage enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS.
My main concerns regarding any transport of this nature are to ensure that the vessels concerned do not pass through waters under our jurisdiction. I have assurances from the UK authorities that they will not. The UK authorities have also stressed that voyages by such vessels through waters solely under UK jurisdiction are kept to a minimum and are already limited to one or two per year; to ensure that the highest possible levels of safety are applied both in terms of the vessels employed and the operational requirements applied to them.
As Minister I have to accept that the vessels transporting these materials may be involved in an accident arising from hazards of navigation or from occurrences such as workplace accidents which will require assistance from Ireland's emergency services.
In this connection the Irish Marine Emergency Service in consultation with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland engaged recently in a communications exercise on board one of these vessels.
As I have said I would prefer that these shipments were not happening at all. Nevertheless as Minister responsible for the marine environment and safety at sea, I am conscious of the fact that they are, for the present, a reality.
In the light of this fact I have made arrangements with both the UK and France, bilateral agreements, that Ireland will be notified in advance of shipment dates, the nature of cargoes and all other relevant details.
