Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 3

Written Answers. - Nuclear Plants.

Eamon Gilmore

Question:

51 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she made a submission to the United Kingdom's environment agency's recent consultation in relation to discharges of TC-99 from Sellafield into the Irish Sea; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8697/01]

Michael Bell

Question:

59 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has engaged in any discussions with the British Government regarding Technetium 99 discharges into the Irish Sea; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7581/01]

Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise (Mr. Jacob)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 59 together.

Earlier this month, my Department responded to the UK Environment agency's public consultation on the agency's proposals for the future regulation of technetium-99 discharges from Sellafield. The agency's proposals in respect of technetium-99 form part of a wider review by the agency of its authorisations for the discharge of all radioactive waste from Sellafield.

Technetium-99 is a long-lasting radionuclide, which arises from the reprocessing of Magnox fuel, and is discharged from the Sellafield site to the Irish Sea. The UK Environment agency's consultation paper identified and assessed a number of options which the agency is considering for the future regulation of technetium-99 discharges. The options ranged from reducing immediately the authorised discharge limit for technetium-99 to 10 terabecquerels per year, to retaining the existing limit of 90 terabecquerels per year. In summary, the agency's paper proposed the retention until 2006 of the current discharge limit of 90 terabecquerels per year, which would be reduced to 10 terabecquerels per year from 2006, or earlier, depending on abatement technologies.

In its response to the agency's consultation paper, my Department, while reiterating the Government's call for a cessation of radioactive discharges to the Irish Sea and for an end to reprocessing, called for an immediate reduction in the discharge authorisation limit for technetium-99 to 10 terabecquerels per year, as being the only option identified in the agency's consultation paper that most closely conforms to the OSPAR strategy commitments.

The House will be aware that in July 1998 the Ministerial meeting of the OSPAR commission adopted a strategy on radioactive discharges which committed all OSPAR Ministers, including the UK Ministers, to the virtual elimination of such discharges to the marine environment by the year 2020 through progressive and substantial reductions in discharges. In announcing the adoption of the strategy, the OSPAR Ministers noted the concerns of a number of the OSPAR contracting parties about technetium-99 discharges and noted that such concerns would be addressed in the UK's forthcoming decisions concerning discharge authorisations for Sellafield.

Since that strategy was agreed, I have, on several occasions, written to and met with my UK counterparts, and have sought, among other things, an early and significant reduction in the level of discharges of technetium-99 from Sellafield. My Department and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland have also monitored progress on this issue in their on-going dealings with their counterparts in the UK.

Question No. 52 answered with Question No. 45.