Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I also offer the sympathy of the Labour Party on the loss of life in the boating tragedy in Wexford.

I want to raise two matters that I believe are in order. One is about the proposed privatisation of the British nuclear industry, especially where Sellafield which is a junkyard for nuclear waste collected from all around the world. There is a residual waste content which must be dealt with there on an ongoing and practically eternal basis and which is a continuing threat to Irish people. The privatisation of that would remove from the Irish Government some of the levers it has in dealing with the British Government on this issue. We have been told a great many lies in the past, even by the British Government. If the industry is privatised, we shall have no say in the matter. Will the Minister impress on the Taoiseach the importance of this matter? In particular will he ask the Taoiseach to raise this specific matter and the concerns of the Oireachtas with the British Prime Minister when they meet in Armagh next Thursday?

I also want to ask about the report of the Barr tribunal on the Abbeylara shooting. I understand the report is ready and will be submitted shortly. There is no problem if it is submitted before Thursday of next week. After that date, there is some difficulty concerning the procedure for publishing it or for laying it before the Houses of the Oireachtas. I ask the Minister to ensure that someone might address that contingency so that as soon as the report is submitted, it is made available both to the Government and the Opposition.

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