Vol. 449 No. 4
17 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if he has received a report from the Radiological Protection Institute in view of their visit to the Sellafield nuclear installation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3754/95]
There were two visits to Sellafield by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland during 1994. The first visit occurred on 8 March. An officer of the institute met with managers for environmental assessment and health and safety and the head of the visitors' centre during his visit. The purpose of the visit was to view the work then being undertaken with regard to the commissioning of the THORP plant and the safety and security measures for storage of plutonium at the plant. As this was the first such visit by the institute after the commissioning of the THORP reprocessing plant, the institute sent a report of the visit to my Department for information.
The second visit, by the same officer of the institute, was on 24 November. This visit came about as a result of an invitation from the UK Nuclear Installations Inspectorate to the officer of the institute to accompany NII personnel during an inspection of the THORP plant. The visit was part of the ongoing informal contacts between the institute and the UK authorities on nuclear safety matters. The institute did not report to my Department on the visit.
I should point out that the institute undertakes visits to various installations as part of its day-to-day functions in order to ensure that it is up-to-date on developments in the nuclear industry. It does not, as a matter of course, report to my Department on such day-to-day matters. However, if matters requiring my attention arise during such visits, they would be reported by my Department.
Following the two visits by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland to Sellafield, did its officials indicate a view on the standards of safety at the THORP plant and the plutonium storage facility at Sellafield? Did they report any concern to the Minister for the safety of the Irish community arising from a potential accident at Sellafield? Will the Minister indicate the official view of the Radiological Protection Institute about the Sellafield plant and the possibilities of its potential danger to people living on this island?
Radioactive discharges from the Sellafield complex, including the THORP plant, are monitored at the point of discharge under the supervision of the United Kingdom's regulatory authority. The results of this monitoring are published regularly. The EU Commission, under Article 35 of the EURATOM Treaty, carries out inspection of facilities established in member states to monitor nuclear installations which discharge radioactive substances into the environment. Inspection of monitoring facilities at Sellafield was carried out by the Commission towards the end of 1993. I am satisfied that the present arrangements for monitoring of the discharge at Sellafield, together with inspection and monitoring facilities by the Commission and the monitoring carried out by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, are adequate. With reference to discharges from Sellafield and THORP I reiterate the Government's total opposition to the continued operation of all nuclear activities carried out at Sellafield and to any expansion of these activities.
My question was if the Minister would indicate to the House the scientific view of the Radiological Protection Institute in regard to the threat posed to the people of this island from the presence of the Sellafield plant in the adjoining island. The Minister did not address the question I put to him.
I have been advised by the institute that they regard the existence of the plant, without accident, as not being a significant health risk to Irish people and that there is no danger from using marine food from the Irish Sea or from using beaches for pleasure. The danger is — and it should be reiterated — what would occur in the case of an accident. They are satisfied with the monitoring and the reduction of discharge recorded. We are in the course of setting up an interdepartmental group comprising the Departments of the Marine, the Environment and my Department to bring the various interests together concerning the environment and Sellafield with a view to progressing Government policy on the matter.
That concludes questions for today.
