Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It will not be the last. I concur with a number of points made by Senator Walsh and with the general thrust of the amendments. There is a sense among people who have been in and around the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland that the amalgamation will dilute the work it has done over the years. Up to now it has been a stand-alone organisation that protected citizens. Many people maintain that it should remain autonomous in order to be as effective as possible. There are also fears that the Bill has gone further than a merger because the RPII will be subsumed into the EPA and, therefore, will lose its identity. Also, and more importantly, its structure and expertise accumulated over the years will be diluted across the EPA. It makes sense that any EPA director take into consideration the RPII's radiological work done to date, and also, the name of the EPA should be changed to reflect such a role. Obviously, certain issues must continue to be worked on, such as the compilation of a new radon map of the country, the provision of ongoing support to hospitals, etc., and vigilance about the potential dangers posed by the likes of Sellafield. The argument put forward is fair and well grounded and, therefore, I support the thrust of the amendments.