Vol. 510 No. 1
61 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the occasions on which she has communicated with her United Kingdom counterpart concerning Sellafield; the contact, if any, she has made with the United Kingdom authorities concerning recent reports that incorrect safety checks were carried out on the production of nuclear fuel rods; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18730/99]
Since assuming responsibility for the nuclear safety brief, I have been in frequent contact, either through direct meetings or correspondence with the relevant UK Ministers concerning Sellafield. In these contacts, I expressed the Irish Government's views about the Sellafield operations, including the Government's concerns about radioactive discharges to the Irish Sea and the current proposal to commission the mixed oxide fuel fabrication plant at Sellafield. In addition to these ministerial contacts, officials from my Department and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland are in regular contact with their UK counterparts concerning Sellafield and hold formal meetings with them twice a year about nuclear safety issues.
On the question of falsification of quality control checks on nuclear fuel rods, I refer the Deputy to my response to Question No. 234 on 29 September 1999.
The RPII has been maintaining contact with the UK's independent regulator, the nuclear installations inspectorate on this matter. The NII has advised the RPII that its investigation is continuing. The RPII will be holding a routine meeting with the NII shortly at which the NII chief inspector is expected to brief the RPII on the latest position.
I am concerned that any data relating to such hazardous material should be falsified. I will await the outcome of the NII's investigation before considering appropriate action.
