Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

There is a very definite proposal. It is not just an energy review. The British Government's energy review will report next summer and will look in detail at the development of a new generation of nuclear power stations. That is quite specific. Those stations will create waste and risk for Ireland. There will be no gain for Ireland. Has the Minister dealt with this in any way before it is a fait accompli? Perfidious Albion will do its usual thing and say it is reviewing but the decision is already made. The Minister should take it that the decision has been made and should deal with it as a decision. Will the Minister go in person to the stakeholders' meeting and present Ireland's case? I did it previously and I believe it was effective. The Minister should do that.

We raised the question of what would happen to the waste with the decommissioning group that came to visit us. The group said it was examining the geological option. That is the underground dump option for nuclear waste, which we fought previously. It creates a problem that lasts an eternity. It cannot ever be decommissioned. That is what is being considered again because it is the simplest thing to do. I ask the Minister to raise this issue in particular. That option would create a bone of contention between our countries on a permanent basis.

See this speech in context