Vol. 494 No. 4
147 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the representations, if any, she has made to her British counterparts on the issue of the high level of radioactivity in birds from the area around the Sellafield reprocessing plant; whether she has sought assurances from the National Radiological Protection Board in Britain to establish the way in which these levels of radiation come about; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18425/98]
148 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to a person (details supplied) whose recent studies of pigeons taken from the area around the Sellafield reprocessing plant confirmed high levels of caesium 137 and americiun in these birds and was stated by him to be the highest level of radioactivity that he had ever encountered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18426/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 148 together.
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 107 of 28 April 1998. Both my Department and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland — RPII — were in contact with the British authorities on this matter.
The radioactivity contamination occurred in feral pigeons living close to the Sellafield plant. These pigeons are highly territorial and are, therefore, unlikely to migrate any great distance. Furthermore, this type of pigeon is not normally consumed by the public. I understand that, on the basis of a detailed survey carried out by the British authorities, it appears that only one flock of birds was contaminated and that a cull was carried out of this flock by the British authorities.
149 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to a media report (details supplied) that super robots are to be used to tackle certain tasks at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant where radioactive material is involved; if she has satisfied herself that the use of this technology poses no risk to the health and safety of the public in this country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18460/98]
I am advised by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland — RPII — that there is considerable research and development on the use of robots in hostile environments for the protection of workers and others, with many of these robots being designed for specific functions including work in highly radioactive environments.
I am informed by the RPII that British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. has recently developed a robot which will be used to facilitate the decommissioning of the highly radioactive caesium extraction plant, CEP, at Sellafield. The CEP was constructed in 1955 to produce radiotherapy sources and operated until 1958 when it was placed on a care and maintenance basis. It consists of four highly contaminated cells containing a variety of chemical equipment. This decommissioning is due to commence in 1999 and will remove all highly contaminated structures, plant and equipment, leaving only low levels of radioactivity. Decommissioning is expected to be completed in four years and will not, I am assured by the RPII, pose any risk to the health and safety of the public in Ireland.
BNFL has plans also to develop robots for other decommissioning activities at Sellafield, including decommissioning of the damaged Windscale reactor pile. It is the view of the RPII that the development and use of robots in radioactive environments should be encouraged on the basis that it will contribute to the safety of workers and will assist in the decommissioning of old disused plants at Sellafield.
