Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 4

Written Answers - Hazardous Waste.

Ivor Callely

Question:

85 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the known toxic and radioactive waste which is dumped in Irish waters; the levels of nuclear reprocessing and radioactive materials emanating from the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11648/01]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Mr. Fahey)

Dumping of toxic and radioactive waste is prohibited under the Sea Pollution Acts and my Department is not aware of any such dumping taking place in Irish water. The Irish marine environment is, however, contaminated by radioactive discharges from nuclear installations in the UK.

Discharges of radioactive waste from the British Nuclear Fuels reprocessing plant at Sellafield continue to be the dominant source of radioactive contamination of the marine environment. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, in accordance with its statutory responsibilities, carries out a marine radioactivity monitoring programme throughout the year. The primary objective of the ongoing monitoring programme is to assess the exposure of the Irish population resulting from radioactive contamination of the Irish marine environment. That involves the routine sampling and testing of radioactivity in fish, shellfish, seaweed, sediments and sea water and the RPII publishes the results of its programme, which include levels of radioactivity in the Irish Sea, in a series of marine monitoring reports.

The most recent of these reports covering the years 1998 and 1999 is available on the RPII's website at www.rpii.ie which it updates with data on a quarterly basis. Arising from its marine monitoring programme, it is the view of the RPII that the doses received by the Irish public through the consumption of seafood, walking on the beaches or engaging in any other marine-based activity are low and do not constitute a significant health risk. Nevertheless, as my colleague the Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise, Deputy Jacob, who has responsibility for nuclear safety and radiological protection, has advised the House on numerous occasions, the continued contamination of the Irish marine environment from the Sellafield plant is totally unacceptable and the Government continues to maintain the maximum pressure on the UK authorities for the cessation of nuclear reprocessing activities and of radioactive discharges.