Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome BENE before the committee. Groups have congregated in community halls and hotels to object to pylons and wind energy and I would not like to attend a similar meeting with a proposal to consider nuclear energy.

I take the point made by Mr. Duff about 57% of participants in an opinion poll conducted by thejournal.ie being in favour of considering nuclear energy. It is my estimation that if a scientific poll was conducted now a significant group of people would oppose nuclear energy. Many people are greatly concerned about nuclear power and concern has been generated by global accidents and global issues that have erupted around the use of nuclear power. The benefits have been well made by the organisation. However, the 1999 Act was the result of a lot of public opinion. The main players, such as EirGrid and the energy people, have said that nuclear energy should be considered but have not gone beyond that point.

I would make the point in regard to Moneypoint. To be quite frank, I do not think the people are in a position to consider it. Judging by the reaction around the country to the erection of pylons and windmills either 500 m or a kilometre from houses, if one were to go down the road of nuclear plants there would be huge opposition. There are concerns about international disasters and the spin-offs from those disasters that have lasted for lifetimes. While I understand the detailed work done by the industry, I do not see nuclear power as a viable alternative at the moment.