Vol. 546 No. 3
99 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the specific measures she has taken to plan for a likely terrorist attack on the Sellafield nuclear installation or other installations or nuclear facilities in the United Kingdom or Europe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31863/01]
The national emergency plan for nuclear accidents is designed to respond to a major disaster at a nuclear installation in the UK or elsewhere which would result in a major release of radioactivity into the environment and pose a radiological hazard in Ireland whether the disaster is caused by an accident or a terrorist attack.
In summary, the plan shows how accident management will operate; how technical information and radioactivity monitoring data will be collated; how public information will be provided and what measures may be taken for the protection of the public in the short and long-term.
As the House will be aware, an exercise to test the national emergency plan took place on 10 November. The consultants engaged by my Department to manage the test have advised that they will report on the outcome of the test around the middle of this month.
It is my intention to publish the up-dated version of the plan as soon as possible after receipt of the consultants' report. Any appropriate amendments to the plan on foot of the report will be carried out. It is also my intention to distribute to every household a summary of the plan. Preparations are already in hand regarding the design, publication and distribution of the booklet containing the full plan and a separate summary. I expect that the distribution of both these documents will take place as soon as possible in the new year.
In the meantime, and recognising that there is a public need for information on counter measures in the event of a nuclear accident, my Department placed an advertisement in the national and provincial press during the week beginning 11 November. This advertisement outlined basic facts about the effects of a nuclear accident on Ireland and practical precautions which could be taken in the event of such an accident.
