Vol. 516 No. 4
10 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the progress, if any, made with regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the report of the task force on radioactive dumping in the Irish sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8186/00]
The main recommendations of the report, as I stated in the House on 10 February 2000, are that the arrangements which have been put in place in recent years as regards the ongoing marine radioactivity monitoring programme carried out by the RPII, and the ongoing research into radiological impacts by the RPII and the university sector, should continue; that caution should be exercised in carrying out any works that may disturb the seabed in any area where radioactive waste has been dumped and a careful assessment of any potential risks made; that the Government should continue its leading role at international level in the protection of the marine environment and that it should strenuously oppose any attempt to renew the practice of dumping radioactive material. As I advised the House on that occasion, I support these recommendations and am committed to continuing the role which the Government has undertaken in this regard.
In the meantime, my Department has written again to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in London reflecting the concerns expressed in the House on 10 February and requesting that there should be no disturbance of the seabed in the areas of concern to us. I understand there are no plans afoot which would involve such disturbance.
I refer to the consistent lies we have been told by representatives of Sellafield and by some members of the British Government, obviously acting on Sellafield's advice and the fact the task force report indicated there was no cause for concern. In view of the recent information that people in Sellafield falsified records and activities, does the Minister of State agree that we would have to be sceptical about any information from that source and that it might be necessary to re-examine that report?
Nobody could have any doubt about what Deputy Bell said. People along the east coast, throughout Ireland and around the globe are concerned that documents should be falsified in an area which has been so controversial and which has met with opposition from this side of the Irish sea on so many occasions. That falsification was discovered will be beneficial, but it does not help our case and would not encourage us to believe any report from Sellafield or BNFL. It has an enormous amount of damage limitation work to do but that is not sufficient. I accept what Deputy Bell said, that any reports from Sellafield, to which we have given any credence, should be looked at again in light of the information made available.
I am glad the Minister of State has accepted my point of view as did his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Fahey, in reply to a previous question. The Deputy, like me, is from the east coast. What steps does the Government intend to take to allay people's fear, particularly people living along the east coast who bring their children and families to the sea, and to assure them there is no danger?
Neither I, Deputy Bell, or any Member of this House would want to engage in scaremongering, but people along the east coast have a genuine reason for fear. As I indicated, there is a job of work to be done to alleviate the fear which exists because there is nothing to fear but fear itself. There may be people who cannot sleep at night because of their concern about what Sellafield is doing to the Irish Sea and how it is affecting people along the east coast. If there is a number of deaths of a particular nature in an area, people are inclined to think it is related to Sellafield. All these issues have to be investigated. A public relations exercise is not what is needed but an exercise in realism and in telling the truth. My colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Jacob, has taken a serious view and has been in touch with colleagues in Britain to impress upon them the need to do something urgently.
