Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Ireland is a party to the EU treaty and, in accordance with this, pays its contribution to the EU budget. EURATOM is financed directly from the general EU budget, but there is no separate contribution from Ireland towards the budget of EURATOM.

This Government's policy is to steer EURATOM's activities towards nuclear safety and radiological protection. EURATOM has been active in both of these areas. For example, EURATOM Directive 96/29, which lays down basic safety standards for the protection of workers and members of the public from the dangers of ionising radiation, represents major EURATOM inspired legislation in the area of radiological protection. In addition, EURATOM has become a contracting party to the additional protocol to the 1977 agreement between EURATOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Proposals by the European Commission relating to the safety of nuclear installations and the safe management of radioactive waste, the so-called nuclear safety package, are also based on provisions of EURATOM. These are under consideration at the European Council's atomic questions working group.

The Government will continue to work through the various EURATOM groups to ensure, in as far as the treaty allows, that EURATOM's focus is on nuclear safety rather than nuclear promotion. There is no current review of EURATOM, but any such proposals will be considered on their merits, and Ireland will participate fully in such circumstances.

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