Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I recall the incident which occurred 20 years ago in Chernobyl and our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the Ukraine. On this day 20 years ago 80 miles north of Kiev, a fireball exploded in one of four reactors, affecting not only ecosystems, human genes and the entire northern hemisphere but also the collective psyche of the developed western world.

As the Government is aware, we face a clear and present danger in Sellafield. Given the potential radiation threat we face from terrorism or accidental nuclear fall-out, everybody hopes that children in this country will never be deemed the new Chernobyl children. It is only right and proper that we pay tribute to Adi Roche, Ali Hewson and the many others from this country who have played their parts over the years in dealing with the human consequences of the Chernobyl accident. Over the years, Irish Governments have had difficulties with BNFL in terms of radiation leaks, accidents and deliberate cover-ups of radiation levels in the Irish sea, which have caused great concern to everybody in this country.

The Taoiseach will be aware that radiation, like terrorism, does not observe any borders, so this country is in a doubly difficult position. First, Sellafield, which is located 90 miles from the Irish coast, is inescapably close. Second, Britain has been declared a preferred target for international terrorism by such as al-Qaeda on a number of occasions. Therefore, on the 20th anniversary of Chernobyl, Ireland can certainly hope for the best but should also meticulously prepare for the worst.

The "Fallout" programme on RTE, which was broadcast in two parts, gave a chilling indication of what might happen in the event of a catastrophic accident at Sellafield. While the programme was fictional, many who watched it felt it reflected the scale of the difficulties that this country would face. That calls into question this country's level of preparedness for dealing with a possible incident. While the Irish character is one which would always say "it will be all right on the night", there is no room for complacency on an issue like this.

Is the Taoiseach happy that we have the structures in place to react rapidly and effectively in the event of a serious accident at Sellafield? What level of funding has the Government provided to deal with preparations for a national emergency? Are the emergency services satisfied that they have all the necessary equipment, such as chemical jackets, to cope with the results of a nuclear accident? What discussions has the Taoiseach held with the British Prime Minister with regard to being informed in the event of a terrorist attack on Sellafield? Is the Taoiseach aware of Britain's intentions in respect of its enhanced nuclear programme, which may include other nuclear generating stations on the west coast of Britain?

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