asked the Minister for Energy if he will outline his targets during his period as President of the Council of Energy Ministers in relation to radiological protection; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Targets on Radiological Protection.
5.
My main aim during the Irish Presidency of the EC will be to promote a new and invigorated approach to nuclear safety and radiation protection. The establishment of an independent nuclear inspection force will, of course, be a major concern, but I will also be attempting to ensure that a much stronger line is taken on Community involvement and responsibility in nuclear matters.
Regarding the inspection force which the Minister describes, is it a minimum requirement of the Minister that such an inspection force will have the power to enter sites of particular countries at will, given that some of the countries involved are trying to resist such a notion?
I indicated that it is my intention to bring this whole area of nuclear safety on to the agenda during the Irish Presidency. It would not be proper at this stage to go into greater detail as to the mechanisms. I am anxious to obtain a commitment on the part of other member countries to a greater degree of two-way nuclear safety and agreement ultimately on the establishment of some form of monitoring authority which would be free to carry out inspections. We are quite a long way from achieving that at present. The Energy Council of which I will be President from 1 January, is not the council directly responsible in this area but because of my ministerial responsibilities here I will be taking an active part in ensuring that the other councils with more direct involvement and responsibility, such as the General Affairs Council, will bring forward these matters. We will use our position during the Presidency to achieve this. It is the intention of other Government Ministers who have a role to play in this to advance matters at their meetings.
I appreciate that the Minister does not want to say very much but I should like an assurance that we will not be talking about a limp body which effectively will be overseeing only the activities of the domestic radiological inspectorates in various countries. That would be very little advance. Has he had discussions with either the French or the British, who are the people mainly standing in the way of progress in this area, in order to prepare himself for his Presidency?
I have only attended one meeting of the Council so far under the French Presidency. It will be my intention to have discussions with the other Ministers who are members of the Energy Council prior to Ireland's assuming the Presidency on 1 January. Obviously I will not be able to see them all but I hope to see as many as possible.