Vol. 543 No. 2
193 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the response she has received from the UK Government regarding the possible threat of a terrorist attack on Sellafield; the plans there are to co-ordinate with the authorities here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25965/01]
Plans to protect and safeguard British nuclear installations, including Sellafield, from terrorist attacks are a matter for the UK government and relevant authorities in the UK. According to the UK Department of Trade and Industry, with whom the Irish Embassy in London has been in touch, the UK civil nuclear industry is strictly regulated and meets all international and national requirements. The UK's civil nuclear sites apply stringent security measures regulated by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security, the UK security regulator. The security regulator works closely with the Health and Safety Executive, the UK safety regulator, which provides advice on the safety implications of events, including external hazards such as plane crashes, at nuclear installations. Security and safety precautions at nuclear sites are kept under regular review. Both regulators are reviewing all relevant precautions in the light of the recent terrorist attacks in the USA. It is not, as I understand it, UK government policy to disclose details of security measures taken at civil nuclear sites.
As regards the response in Ireland, to any attack on an installation, I would like to refer the Deputy to my reply to Dáil Question No. 111 on 25 October 2001 and Dáil Question No. 85 on 17 October 2001, in which I gave details of the Irish Government's national emergency plan for nuclear accidents; details of the international and EU procedures for early notification of a nuclear accident and the bilateral arrangements which exist between Ireland and the UK whereby the UK authorities would notify us of nuclear accidents or incidents.
The Department of Defence has been given overall responsibility by the Government for emergency planning in regard to any potential terrorist attack on Ireland or any attack likely to affect Ireland. In this connection, an office of emergency planning has been established in that Department and is working with key Departments, including my Department, to co-ordinate a full response to any emergency.
