Vol. 558 No. 3
27 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to reports that British Nuclear Fuels has recently resumed radioactive discharges into the Irish Sea; the representations he has made to the British Authorities on this matter, having regard to the potential consequences for the marine environment in the Irish Sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17013/02]
I assume that the question refers to the discharge of technetium-99 from Sellafield in September 2002. This matter was raised by my Department and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland at a meeting at the end of September 2002 with UK counterparts. According to the UK authorities, discharges of technetium-99 from Sellafield this year are within the annual authorised discharge limit set down by the UK environment agency. I understand the resumption of the technetium-99 discharges in September arose from a resumption of the treatment of liquid waste, which typically takes place on a batch basis two or three times a year. I also understand that the batch treatment prior to September took place in October 2001 and that a discharge of technetium-99 took place in February 2002.
Ireland's concerns about radioactive discharges to the Irish Sea, including discharges of technetium-99, have been conveyed on numerous occasions to the UK Government. These concerns, particularly those in regard to technetium-99 discharges, are shared by a number of Nordic countries, notably Norway. In the statement issued by the OSPAR Ministers in 1998 when the OSPAR Strategy on Radioactive Substances was adopted, the UK ministers indicated that the concerns expressed by a number of the OSPAR states about technetium-99 discharges from Sellafield would be addressed by the UK Ministers in their then forthcoming decisions concerning discharge authorisations.
In September 2001, the UK environment agency submitted to the relevant UK Ministers for consideration its proposed decision in regard to a review of the discharge authorisation limit for technetium-99. In this connection, the agency proposed a retention of the existing discharge authorisation limit of 90 terrabecquerels per annum and that this would be reduced to ten terrabequerels per annum by around 2006. The Irish Government's concerns about the agency's proposals were conveyed to the relevant UK ministers. A decision by the UK Ministers on the agency's proposals is still awaited.
In Ireland's view, the proposed decision by the UK environment agency is not in keeping with the OSPAR strategy which requires a progressive and substantial reduction in discharges. While the UK Government has stressed that it is committed to implementing the OSPAR strategy, we are concerned that the UK Strategy on Radioactive Discharges, published in July 2002, on how it will implement the strategy, shows a projected increase in discharges in the short-term. Ireland will be actively involved in the OSPAR process to ensure that the OSPAR strategy is fully implemented by all contracting parties.
Question No. 28 answered with Question No. 7.
