Vol. 397 No. 6
16 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Energy the present state of preparedness to deal with an accidental release of radiation from, for example, a nuclear plant on the west coast of Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Government have made considerable progress in making adequate preparation for a radiological emergency. Funding for extra personnel and equipment was provided to the Nuclear Energy Board immediately following the Chernobyl accident. A new laboratory for the Nuclear Energy Board was completed in 1988 and its equipment is being upgraded continuously. These resources would allow for extensive monitoring in the event of any accident resulting in contamination of the Irish environment.
In addition the Government in 1988 approved an emergency plan for radiological emergencies and allocated £890,000 for its implementation. The plan, which is being phased in, is designed to provide a rapid and co-ordinated response to any radiological emergency.
Progress to date is as follows: an alerting system has been established, including the establishment of an emergency control centre at the Nuclear Energy Board headquarters which will make recommendations and provide information to the Government and the public; a national continuous gamma dose rate monitoring system has been installed to detect and monitor any increase in radiation levels; a computer system which will speedily process all monitoring information has been commissioned at the Nuclear Energy Board headquarters the Civil Defence Organisation has been equipped for and is being trained in the use of portable monitors to undertake local and regional surveys; a whole body monitor has been installed at St. Vincent's Hospital; and systems for monitoring air, grass, soil, livestock, etc., are being installed. Progress to date is very satisfactory and we are far better prepared for an emergency than we were at the time of the Chernobyl accident.
May I ask the Minister if the plan has been tested on a dry run and, if so, whether it performed satisfactorily? May I also ask whether the plan will need legislative backing so far as powers may be required to seize transport mechanisms, etc., in the event of an emergency? Finally, will the public be given proper information about this plan? A plan of this nature can never successfully work if the public do not know what it entails when it is triggered in the event of an emergency. Keeping people in the dark will just lead to panic.
I know that the Civil Defence organisation have undertaken national trial runs in this area. The equipment referred to is tested regularly. I agree with the Deputy and I will be glad to consider this — that we might need to give greater publicity to the plan. It is hoped to have all aspects of the plan fully in place by 1991. That is the present funding proposal.
I want to give the Deputy some idea of the main items of expenditure proposed during 1990 and 1991; a calibration system, a TLD skin dose monitor, further portable instruments, communication systems and portable personnel monitoring instruments have been acquired. I will be glad to consider whether it would be appropriate for us to give more publicity to the existence of the plan and I will certainly act upon it if I am so advised or come to the same conclusions as the Deputy.
