Vol. 503 No. 1
46 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has contacted her British counterparts in relation to the proposals by the British Health and Safety Executive to allow increased discharges or expand operations at nuclear installations without having to justify them to the British Government or the public; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9159/99]
I am aware of recent media reports about the proposals from the UK Health and Safety Executive referred to by the Deputy.
These proposals were submitted by the HSE to the UK Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for consideration. The proposals are not in the public domain. However, I understand that they relate to HSE proposals for implementing certain provisions of the EU Directive 96/29 of 13 May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionising radiation. As I understand it, the proposals do not relate to radioactive discharges or to matters concerning the expansion of operations at nuclear installations as these would be outside of the remit of the HSE.
While I cannot comment definitively on the HSE proposals without having seen them, I can assure the Deputy that I will strongly oppose any proposal either to expand operations at UK nuclear installations without having to justify such operations or to allow increased radioactive discharges.
I would also point out to the Deputy that under the EU directive referred to above, the disposal of radioactive waste, including discharges, would require prior authorisation from the UK's regulatory authority. Furthermore, in accordance with the directive, existing justifications for practices are required to be reviewed in the light of new evidence.
On 26 March 1999, the UK Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions published proposals in the form of a consultation document for amending the UK's Radioactive Substances Act, 1993. The proposals take account of the EU directive referred to above and deal with radioactive waste and radioactive discharges. My Department will be examining these proposals closely in consultation with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.
47 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will report on her meeting with Mr. Michael Meacher MP in relation to the draft MOX authorisation and radioactive discharge authorisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9164/99]
On 25 February 1999, I met with UK Minister Meacher in London. I sought this meeting to discuss mainly the UK Environment Agency's draft decision relating to the discharge authorisation limits and the proposed new MOX plant currently being considered by the UK Ministers.
As to radioactive discharges, I informed Minister Meacher that the revised discharge limits proposed by the Agency are not acceptable to the Irish Government and that in particular the proposed limits for technetium-99 should be reduced further. I also pointed out to him that the UK Ministers' decision on these discharge limits should reflect the very strong commitment given by the UK Ministers at the OSPAR Ministerial meeting in Portugal last July. Minister Meacher informed me that he was fully aware of the strong concerns in Ireland and in the Scandinavian countries about technetium-99 discharge levels and that he would reflect fully on the matter before a final decision is made.
I also informed Minister Meacher of the Irish Government's total opposition to the Environment Agency's draft decision to give the go-ahead to the MOX plant. I requested that Ireland's concerns about this project, set out in two earlier separate submissions to the Environment Agency, should be given careful consideration by the UK Ministers. Minister Meacher assured me that Ireland's views would be borne in mind in the decision process.
