Vol. 566 No. 4
144 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his proposals for nuclear safety in which he proposes to double expenditure in 2003; the benefits to be derived from such proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12884/03]
The significant increase, from €850,000 in 2002 to €1.689 million in 2003, in the allocation to the nuclear safety subhead of my Department's Vote reflects the costs arising from the pursuit of two international legal actions by the Government against the UK in relation to the commissioning of the Sellafield Mox Plant, and additional costs arising in the ongoing development of the nuclear emergency response plan.
The legal action taken by the Government under the OSPAR Convention is based on the refusal, by the UK, of access to certain information on grounds of commercial sensitivity. Ireland is seeking access to the information to carry out an independent evaluation of the environmental impacts of, and economic case for, the plant to ensure that the plant was justified as required under EU law. Following oral hearings in these proceedings in the Permanent Court of Arbitration – PCA – in the Hague in October 2002, determination in the case is awaited.
Separate legal proceedings against the UK under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea relate to the threat to the marine environment from the continued operation and expansion of Sellafield, the threat to the Irish Sea from shipments of nuclear materials and the inadequacy of the 1993 Environmental Impact Statement for the MOX Plant. The written phases of the proceedings were completed in April 2003 and oral hearings will begin on 10 June 2003.
These international legal actions are unprecedented and involve extensive legal and scientific research to ensure that Ireland's claims are prepared, presented and argued cogently at the relevant international arbitral tribunals. The additional costs provided for underline the Government's commitment to pursuit of the claims made in the legal actions.
Additional costs will also arise this year in implementing measures based on consultancy recommendations following the exercise of the nuclear emergency response plan in November 2001. Proposals arising from the recommendations of the consultants will shortly be brought to Government.
