Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Apr 1996

Vol. 464 No. 3

Written Answers. - Nuclear Safety.

Eric J. Byrne

Ceist:

20 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the representations, if any, he has made to the United Kingdom authorities regarding the safety of nuclear power stations operated by British Nuclear Fuels Limited following the most recent fine imposed on BNFL in respect of safety breaches; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8096/96]

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Lowry)

The Deputy will be aware that on 12 April this year, Carlisle Crown Court fined British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., £25,000 plus costs for serious and significant safety failures. This court case related to an incident at the Sellafield complex on 27 June 1994 when a contract worker carrying out maintance work on a ventilation duct became contaminated with plutonium-239. The does received by the worker did not exceed the statutory dose limit. However, he was sent home in his contaminated clothes.

Under the relevant UK nuclear incident procedures, the operators, British Nuclear Fuels, notified the relevant regulatory authorities. In accordance with existing bilateral reporting arrangements, my Department was, accordingly, notified of the incident by the UK Department of the Environment. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland was immediately contacted to assess the radiological and health implications of the incident for Ireland, if any.

Based on the information received, the RPII advised me that the incident had no radiological or health implications for Ireland and there was no abnormal release of radioactivity in the external environment. I should add that the incident was formally rated as a level one on the international nuclear events scale (INES), i.e., an anomaly.

At a recent meeting in my office with the British Ambassador, Ms Veronica Sutherland, I expressed my grave concern about the number of incidents which had occurred in the recent past at Sellafield and other aspects of the British nuclear industry including in particular the ongoing pollution of the Irish Sea which is unacceptable; the NIREX proposals for an underground nuclear dump near the Sellafield complex; the continued existence of Magnox reactors which are past their sell-by date and ought to be decommissioned; and my concerns about the safety implications of privatising the British Nuclear Industry.

I stressed that the Government was firmly opposed to any expansion of the nuclear industry in Britain and in that context I repeated my welcome for the recent decision not to proceed with the commissioning of two new nuclear reactors. I sincerely hope that that decision signifies the beginning of the end of the nuclear industry in Britain. I am realistic enough to know that the nuclear industry will not close down overnight. It plays a significant role in Britain in terms of power generation and employment.

However, the time is now ripe for the British authorities to turn their attention to developing an energy strategy for the future that excludes nuclear power.

In addition, I have arranged to have the matter raised at the next meeting of the Ireland-UK contact meeting on nuclear safety matters.

I am pleased to see that the United Kingdom's Health and Safety Executive proceeded with this recent prosecution. The penalty imposed and the publicity associated with the case exposes the UK nuclear industry to further public scrutiny. This can only strengthen the hand of the Irish Government in pressurising the UK authorities on nuclear safety generally.