Vol. 371 No. 9
asked the Minister for Energy both the financial and manpower resources being made available to the National Radiological Protection Institute which is to replace the Nuclear Energy Board; the additional responsibilities it will be given; and the changes in the monitoring of radioactivity in the environment.
33.
asked the Minister for Energy the reason the Nuclear Energy Board is to be replaced by the National Radiological Protection Institute; the extra responsibilities, if any, which have been given to this new body; and whether the moneys provided annually for the institute will be greater or less than those previously provided for the Board.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 33 together.
The Deputy will be aware that the Nuclear Energy Board was established under the Nuclear Energy Act, 1971, particularly to advise Ministers and the Government on nuclear energy matters such as the acquisition of nuclear reactors for research purposes and the construction, operation and supervision of nuclear power stations. Since then, successive Governments have abandoned nuclear power as an energy option in this country. In the circumstances I consider that it is timely to replace the Nuclear Energy Board with a National Radiological Protection Institute. The functions of the new institute will be established within a legislative framework which will more appropriately reflect the present needs of the country in the field of radiation safety, radiation protection and monitoring.
I am at present considering what legislative measures would be most appropriate. It would be premature to make further comment at this stage except to say that I propose to introduce at an early date the necessary legislation. The grant-in-aid of £895,000 allocated to the Nuclear Energy Board for 1987 will be re-allocated to the new institute when established. On a year-to-year basis manpower and financial resources will reflect the needs of the new institute subject to any budgetary or other financial constraints.
