Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 13 Feb 2001

Vol. 530 No. 3

Written Answers. - Nuclear Plants.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

59 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if the United Kingdom's nuclear installations inspectorate has responded to the RPII's recommendations in relation to safety improvements required concerning the storage of high level radioactive waste at Sellafield; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3670/01]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

The RPII has been maintaining contact with the UK nuclear installations inspectorate – NII – regarding the implementation of the safety improvement recommendations contained in the RPII's report of December last regarding the storage of high level waste at Sellafield. I understand from the RPII that the NII has noted the recommendations set out in the RPII report and is pursuing their implementation with British Nuclear Fuels – BNFL.

The RPII will continue to monitor progress on these issues on my behalf and I will not hesitate to take the matter up with my UK counterpart if the RPII is not satisfied with the progress being made on the implementation of its recommendations.

I would like to emphasise that nothing in the RPII report changes the Irish Government's view that the long-term storage of very large quantities of high level radioactive waste in liquid form at Sellafield is not an acceptable practice. I will continue to press the UK authorities to accelerate the current process of vitrification of the liquid waste – a process whereby the waste is converted into solid form for safer storage – in order to reduce the accident risks associated with the existing storage arrangements. I want to see this liquid waste vitrified quickly and by much earlier than the target date of 2015 set by BNFL.

Question No. 60 answered with Question No. 49.