Vol. 560 No. 3
160 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the position regarding the international legal case being taken by the Government in regard to the Sellafield nuclear plant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2396/03]
In line with commitments under An Agreed Programme for Government, the Government is currently taking two legal actions against the Sellafield MOX plant (SMP); one under the OSPAR Convention and the other under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
These legal actions are proceeding on schedule and are challenging operations at the SMP on economic, legal, environmental and safety grounds. In relation to the OSPAR case, Ireland instituted proceedings seeking access to certain information relating to the economic justification of the SMP, which had been withheld on the grounds of commercial confidentiality. Oral hearings in relation to this case took place before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in October 2002 and a determination in the case is expected later this spring. Oral hearings in respect of the UNCLOS case, concerning the protection of the marine environment, are scheduled to take place in June this year. The outcome in this instance is not expected until later this year.
161 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to recent British media reports that a top level exercise designed to test Britain's response to a large-scale terrorist attack on a nuclear power station exposed a series of major failures in emergency responses; if he has raised these reports with the British authorities having regard to the potential threat to Irish safety and security from any possible attack on Sellafield; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2399/03]
My Department is aware of the recent British media reports on the exercise referred to. The adequacy of emergency measures designed to protect the British public in the aftermath of an accident or incident at a British nuclear facility is a matter for the British authorities.
Regarding the potential threat to Ireland from any possible attack on Sellafield, this has been raised with the UK authorities and I refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 23 and 183 of 28 November 2002. In the event of any accident or incident at the Sellafield plant, the critical issue for Ireland is early notification. There are two early notification systems which are used for early warning of the occurrence of a nuclear accident abroad. Following Chernobyl, countries with nuclear power plants entered into an agreement, called the Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident, under which any country which operates nuclear installations is obliged to inform the International Atomic Energy Agency immediately of an accident, in any of the country's installations, which could have an effect outside the country's own boundaries. The IAEA, through its emergency response unit based at its headquarters in Vienna, will immediately pass on to all its member states, including Ireland, any notification which it receives of a nuclear accident in any part of the world. In addition to this IAEA system, there is a separate system, known as ECURIE – European Community Urgent Radiological Information Exchange – rated within the European Union. Under this, each EU member state is required to notify other member states of any radiological accident that could have consequences outside its territory. They must also provide details of any protective actions being taken and results of radiological measurements carried out.
