Ray Burke
Ceist:99 Mr. R. Burke asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications if the Government is willing to press the idea of an independent European nuclear energy inspectorate during the Irish Presidency of the EU. [11112/96]
Written Answers. - European Nuclear Energy Inspectorate.
Ireland is committed to the establishment of an independent European nuclear energy inspection force which would cover all aspects of safety related nuclear plants. Previous efforts to establish a European nuclear safety inspectorate did not succeed, primarily because a considerable number of member states were opposed to the idea. Some nuclear member states insist that an independent inspection force to inspect the safety of plants on their territory is an unacceptable undermining of national sover-eignty.
Nuclear countries have their own nuclear authorising and regulatory bodies. While safety conscious nuclear operators should have nothing to fear from an independent inspection of their operations, unfortunately, there is nothing to indicate that a fresh attempt to establish an inspectorate would be any more successful than the previous attempt.
Recent progress has been made under the auspices of the International Energy Agency's Nuclear Safety Convention. Under Article 20 of the convention there is provision for peer review. Under this process, each state will be able to review the legislative and regulatory framework that governs the safety of nuclear installations of other contracting parties, which includes all member states of the EU. It also provides for a review of the operational and safety procedures for nuclear installations and emergency preparedness. Because of the positive advance which peer review represents, I am exploring the possibility of seeking the incorporation of similar arrangements under the terms of the Euratom Treaty.