Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

Ireland has a right to be fully informed about all aspects of Sellafield's activities which result in actual or potential environmental damage to the Irish Sea, as well as information which Ireland needs to help protect against the possibility of terrorists targeting Sellafield.

Ireland's need for information about BNFL's activities at Sellafield has been starkly illustrated by today's decision by the European Commission, which the Government and I greatly welcome. BNFL has failed to meet a basic standard of the nuclear industry — the requirement to maintain a complete inventory of nuclear material.

Ireland's robust litigation has focused the attention of the Commission on Sellafield. For years, Commission inspectors visited pond B30 but could make no meaningful inspection of it and the Commission was fobbed off by vague and informal BNFL promises that were never fulfilled. Ireland, under the leadership of the Government and through the Taoiseach's contacts with the British Prime Minister, is leading the way against Sellafield like never before and the Commission, in taking more effective action, is following Ireland's lead.

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