James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Fianna Fáil will support the Bill which is a common-sense and prudent safety measure and an important step in strengthening Ireland's protection against nuclear and radiological threats. Fianna Fáil has always been opposed to any form of nuclear development within Ireland and is conscious of the threat from nuclear developments in other places and the possibility that it may impinge on our borders or pose a threat to the State. We must remain vigilant and the measures proposed are necessary and proportionate.

The Bill advances a risk-based approach, which is very sensible, and replaces the outdated one-size-fits-all approach. I am aware of the Mulcreevy judgments. This is not be the first time and it will not be the last responsibilities have fallen through the cracks when one Department is transferred to another, or a Minister changes portfolio. The programme for research in third level institutions, PRTLI, is one recent example, but there are many areas where initiatives do not make the cut in such instances. The intention of the Bill is to ensure public consultations, statutory instruments or secondary legislation which the Minister wished to invoke will be subject to scrutiny. This makes a lot of sense.

Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM is also pertinent and a main driver behind the Bill. EURATOM is the main organisation in Europe for the management of nuclear energy, better safety mechanisms and research in nuclear technology. The Bill is the right place in which to include relevant measures.

I note the risk posed by the Brexit decision in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom which is a nuclear power in the areas of defence and energy is subject to EURATOM safety standards, as is Ireland, but it will no longer be subject to its stringent regulations when it leaves the European Union. This is a source of serious concern. Those of us living on the east coast are always conscious of the risks from our nearest neighbour, Sellafield and other plants. Deputy Timmy Dooley raised this issue last October with the Minister who at the time had not interacted with his opposite number in the United Kingdom on the issue, but I he has since had a chance to do so and will press it. It is of great concern to Fianna Fáil, as I imagine it is to all Deputies, that the safety standards will continue to apply post-Brexit. Will the Minister tell us what the new arrangement will be?

The Bill brings to mind issues to do with energy security. We recently had a debate on emergency climate measures. I identified the risk in closing down non-renewable resources in Ireland and importing them from elsewhere, as may be happening. What steps are being taken to deal with the possibility of nuclear energy being included in the mix in such a scenario? The interconnector across the Irish Sea allows energy supplies to be swapped with the United Kingdom, but there is a need for the Celtic interconnector, while there are discussions on connecting Ireland and France in order that Ireland will remain in the EU energy market and promote and sustain its energy security, as well as possibly in the future contribute with exports of renewables should we make sufficient progress in that field.

The Mulcreevy decisions dealt with the issue of primary versus secondary legislation. The principle is a common-sense one, but it is important that it be reiterated that it is up to this House to pass legislation. No directive, statutory instrument, regulation or ministerial ruling can or should ever overrule an Act of these Houses.

This is an important Bill for safety reasons and to tidy up a number of other Acts, as well as to deal with some issues that emerged from European directives, EURATOM and the Mulcreevy decisions. Therefore, we welcome it.

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