Ivor Callely
Ceist:119 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the likely level of pollution from the operation of the Sellafield MOX plant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4095/02]
Written Answers. - Nuclear Plants.
Ivor Callely
Ceist:120 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the level of pollution discharges by British Nuclear Fuels; the impact of such pollution discharges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4096/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together.
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Dáil Question No. 161 of 21 November 2001.
The Deputy will be aware that the level of discharges into the Irish Sea are regularly examined by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, details of which are contained in a series of biannual reports published by the RPII. The most recent report published by the RPII, covers the period 1998-1999. The more recent RPII data covering the year 2000 and the first half of last year are available on the RPII's website – www.rpii.ie.
The operation of the Sellafield MOX plant is expected to result in the estimated annual discharge of 12 megabequerels of radioactivity in liquid form which is not significant compared with the radioactive discharges into the Irish Sea from existing operations at Sellafield. According to the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, radiation doses received by the Irish population as a direct result of discharges from the MOX plant will not be distinguishable from those due to natural background radiation. Based on the current state of knowledge regarding the effects of radiation, these radiation doses are not significant in terms of human health.
By the admission of the United Kingdom authorities, the commissioning of the MOX Plant has served to prolong the lifetime of other activities at Sellafield, primarily the THORP reprocessing plant. Thus the commissioning of the MOX plant will directly give rise to additional discharges of radioactive material into the Irish Sea. For that reason, the Government has always considered the impact of the operation of the MOX plant as an integral part of all activities at the Sellafield site. I would like to remind the House the activities of British Nuclear Fuels pose a continuing threat to the safety of the marine environment of the Irish Sea and I will continue to exert the maximum pressure on the UK authorities for the reduction and cessation of radioactive discharges. In this regard, Ireland has campaigned vigorously at OSPAR for the implementation of that organisation's strategy on the reduction of radioactive discharges. The ongoing legal actions which were initiated by this Government against the UK in regard to the Sellafield MOX plant are a further indication of the Government's determination to bring about the cessation of operations at Sellafield.
Question No. 121 answered with Question No. 53.