Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 28 Mar 1990

Vol. 397 No. 6

Written Answers. - Sellafield Issue.

Austin Currie

Ceist:

146 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for the Environment the action he intends to take on the reported statement by Chris Patten, the British Secretary of State for the Environment, at the North Sea Conference in The Hague, that, in two formal meetings with him, he had not raised the issue of Sellafield; whether Mr. Patten's statement is factual; the conclusions which should be drawn from the alleged remark of the success of the Government's campaign against Sellafield; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

I met the UK Secretary of State for the Environment in November 1989 and in February 1990. The meetings were arranged for the express purpose of enabling me, as President of the EC Environmental Council, to discuss with the Secretary of State issues arising in relation to the business of the Council. There was no discussion of bilateral issues on either occasion. Nuclear safety matters are, in any event, primarily a matter for the Minister of Energy and there are well established arrangements under which such matters are raised, as and when appropriate, by that Minister with the responsible UK authorites. Without prejudice to these arrangements, it is, of course, appropriate that the Minister for the Environment should state Government policy on the Sellafield issue in any relevant international forum where he is representing Ireland.