Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Two aspects of the Taoiseach's reply surprise me. First, it is surprising that the Secretary General of the United Nations should praise Ireland at a time when we are reducing our overseas development aid allocation. Was there any discussion of how we now propose to reach our target of 0.7% of GDP and did the Taoiseach indicate to the Secretary General any timeframe in that regard?

Second, in regard to the forthcoming meeting of the British-Irish Council, I am surprised at the Taoiseach's statement that this is a matter for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The question of Britain's nuclear industry and the consequences it has for this country, particularly the location of nuclear installations of one type or another on the west coast of Britain, has always been a matter which has been addressed at the highest level of government and which always has been a policy priority for government. I am surprised the Taoiseach said this has slipped down the order of priorities to the point that a major announcement by the British Government that it intends to expand its number of nuclear facilities and locate some of them in Sellafield and Anglesey, which is less than 50 miles across the sea from my constituency, for example, is not considered sufficiently important to be on the agenda of the British-Irish Council. Was there consultation by the British authorities with the Government in respect of the expansion of their nuclear industry and the consequences that has for us?

I recall when the Labour Party was in government that there was a successful direct intervention by that Government in respect of the expansion of a nuclear facility and I am surprised the present Government does not appear to be giving this issue the priority it requires to the point that the British Government and the British authorities clearly feel free to announce a major expansion of their nuclear capacity, locating seven of the facilities on the west coast, and it is not even on the agenda of the British-Irish Council.

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