Vol. 533 No. 3
47 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the results of her inquiries in relation to the granting of a permit by the German authorities for the transportation of spent nuclear fuel from a German nuclear power plant to Sellafield for reprocessing as indicated in her response to Parliamentary Question No. 36 of 13 February 2001; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8713/01]
My previous reply was based on information which at the time we were unable to confirm with the German authorities. Since then, the Irish Embassy in Germany has confirmed that a permit issued on 19 January, 2001 for the shipment of three flasks from one power station. This relates to a resumption of suspended activity under existing contractual arrangements. I understand that BNFL have made applications in respect of further shipments.
Now that the position relating to the permit has been clarified, I will be contacting the German authorities to protest against their decision. I shall also be contacting Ireland's likeminded OSPAR counterparts to enlist their support for a possible unified approach to the German Government. The Irish Government remains totally opposed to the reprocessing activities at Sellafield and I will continue to press the UK Government for a cessation of such activities at the plant.
