Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The office of emergency planning which co-ordinates the work relevant to Deputy Kenny's question and uses the various emergency services in preparing contingency plans is under the aegis of the Minister for Defence. All the issues raised by the Deputy, including those relating to aviation, are the responsibility of that Minister. The high level group was set up after the events of September 2001 to examine anti-terrorist legislation and international co-operation in this area. It works on that basis and is not involved in the issues raised by the Deputy.

Whenever incidents take place at Sellafield and even in the absence of such, the Government and I continue to engage directly with the British Prime Minister on this matter. I do not want to comment on the detail of the security issues because there is an ongoing legal action under UNCLOS where these cases are being made. The Government continually raises these issues in support of that legal action.

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