Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister for his reply. The concern arises not only because of the recent earthquake in Japan but because of the earthquake in Cumbria, close to the Sellafield plant site. The people of Ireland need to know what we can do to urge the British Government not alone to improve safety at the plant and be involved in the European stress test but actually to close the plant. Will the Government take steps to lead a significant international campaign to exert pressure on the British Government in respect of Sellafield, and will the Minister acknowledge that nuclear energy presents a significant risk to Irish citizens that is much greater than that posed by any other form of energy? The Minister of State sitting to the Minister's left, Deputy O'Dowd, lives in a county-constituency which has shown substantial evidence of the effects of radiation that may come from Sellafield

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