Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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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?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I join Deputy Kenny in observing the 20th anniversary of Chernobyl. Our thoughts are with the families who died or suffered and who continue to suffer, as we have seen in the programmes broadcast in the past week. Thousands of families in Ireland have become personally involved with children and families from the region through the efforts of Adi Roche and many others who worked on this issue during the past 20 years.

Across Europe, renewed debate is taking place on the viability of nuclear energy. As I noted here on a number of occasions recently, it is my belief that nuclear energy is not a solution. Its consequences are dangerous in the short, medium and long term and, as a non-nuclear State, we have played a strong role in preventing the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and in developing a legal strategy to force the eventual closure of Sellafield, which is located on our doorstep. Today is a day for remembrance and reflection on the victims, both living and dead, of the Chernobyl disaster and I am sure everybody in the House will join Deputy Kenny in that.

On the wider issue, the Deputy will be aware that the Government has continued to fight for the safe closure of Sellafield. The site poses an unacceptable threat to this country on the grounds that ongoing pollution, poor safety records and the potentially serious impact of a major disaster or terrorist attack could affect all aspects of life here. The Government has been proactive at every level in taking political, diplomatic and legal action to advance Ireland's cause.

As regards Deputy Kenny's questions on the level of preparedness, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has spoken about that, as has the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland in recent days. For the past 20 years, national administrations, in accordance with guidance from the UN, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the European Commission, have been developing and updating nuclear emergency responses on an ongoing basis. Our national plan, which was updated last Christmas and has been published, is designed to respond to a major disaster in a nuclear installation in the UK or elsewhere. It contains comprehensive arrangements for the early notification of nuclear accidents to the competent Irish authorities.

On the specific question put by Deputy Kenny, an agreement is in place between Ireland and Britain, as well as internationally, to immediately relay to governments information on any incident of this kind. That would be done at EU level and by national governments. In fairness to the British Government, it has relayed detailed information when incidents took place and has become stronger in doing so in recent years. That does not change our position that we would rather see it updated. There is also timely accurate advice to the public, mobilisation of the emergency services, monitoring radioactive emissions and co-operation with international agencies. The plan has been audited and validated.

Deputy Kenny asked if I was satisfied. One is never satisfied on such an issue because one hopes it will never be tested and the only way to guarantee that would be if Sellafield were not there. The national emergency committee meeting involves all the services, including the Garda, the Defence Forces and international experts. We have used many international experts in recent years, particularly in the preparation of our cases. People with world expertise have assisted us in our planning and our fight in the case.

On Deputy Kenny's last question, although I do not know what the final British policy will be, everything I have heard from British politicians from the two main parties is that they are still committed to nuclear energy. I was watching a debate last night in which politicians spoke about Chernobyl. They all said how terrible Chernobyl was, but said they were pro-nuclear. It is up to every politician to reconcile his or her mind on these issues.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach has responded on what the Government has been doing about this. The advice given to the Government and the decision it took on the closure of Sellafield was to proceed through the United Nations, which was the incorrect approach. What is the status of the Government's case against Britain for the closure of Sellafield?

I hope the national emergency plan will never be tested. Following its updating, as has been pointed out by Deputy Timmins on a number of occasions, when so many Departments and committees are involved and when everybody is in charge, nobody is in charge. God forbid it would ever happen, but in the same way former Mayor of New York, Mr. Rudolph Guiliani, took charge after 11 September, would it not be more feasible, as indicated by the Emergency Planning Society report, to have one central control unit in charge of such a national emergency? In a survey seven out of ten people felt the Government was ill prepared for a national emergency. Is it not the case that no independent audit of the national emergency plan has been done to verify that it would work in practice? Is the Taoiseach concerned about the recent comments by a representative of fire fighters that they do not have sufficient equipment and resources to deal with something like this? Will the Taoiseach indicate when the Minister, Deputy Roche, will be in a position to take the case for Government to Europe for closure of Sellafield?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Our national plan has been audited, tested and validated internationally in line with best practice. That is a continual process. On Deputy Kenny's point about co-ordination of the various organisations such as the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, the Garda and the Defence Forces, the plan sets out how these should be co-ordinated and the centre of co-ordination. Not only are these detailed in the plan but in the trial runs, the latest one being last year, the co-ordination scheme was implemented. We have followed best international practice in this.

Regarding our case, we have brought together some of the world's best experts in this field from the US and elsewhere, people who have been on both sides of this argument and who have considerable expertise in the preparation of our case. We are pressing on with our case and will continue to do so. We await the final judgement of the European Court and we have indicated clearly that we will go to the European Court of Justice and have presented a strong case that is being prepared by the Minister, the Attorney General and the team that has worked on this for us. We have made our position on this clear to the British Government. While this issue has been raised in recent days, we have been proactive and are prepared for a nuclear emergency, we have anticipated everything it is likely we would be asked to do and have applied internationally set criteria and continue to validate it against international best practice.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Yesterday I raised questions with the Taoiseach about the integrity of the criminal prosecution system following the collapse of the case against Mr. Dermot Laide in the Circuit Criminal Court and the responsibility of Government to maintain the integrity of that system. The Taoiseach pleaded he was inadequately briefed and could not deal with my questions. However a spokesperson for the Government last night reassured the public that it believed no other cases would collapse like the Dermot Laide case because of the infirmity of the former eminent State pathologist, Dr. John Harbison. While that assurance is welcome, I would like to get it on the record of this House rather than a fleeting statement on the RTE news.

Now that I am sure the Taoiseach has been briefed, has a note and has spoken to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, as he told me he would, I would like to ask my questions again. Yesterday's attempt to muddy the waters about the roles of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform did not help. The State pathology service is directly contracted to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Minister, not the DPP, is responsible.

Does the Taoiseach now say issues about Dr. Harbison's availability to give evidence, and the reliability of that evidence, have not arisen in any case in the criminal courts before the Dermot Laide case? I ask the Taoiseach to be precise and to tell the House the answer to the questions I raised yesterday. When did the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform become aware that Dr. Harbison's infirmity may have this kind of impact? When did he put the DPP in possession of all the information? Given the onerous disclosure duties on the DPP in criminal trials, it is important to know when the DPP was put in possession of this information.

I have not been reassured by the fact that we have not heard from the Minister for 24 hours. I challenge any Member of the House to give me an instance when that has happened since he became Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Government dealt with this important question. While we are accustomed to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform speaking on behalf of the Government on any issue, we are not accustomed to the Government speaking on behalf of the Minister. Here is the man who told us on "Questions and Answers" on Monday night and in The Irish Times yesterday that he was dismissive of the idea of two State pathologists. He said it could not be entertained. This morning we heard on "Morning Ireland" that the Scottish system is to be applied here and we will have two State pathologists. I want to know why the Minister has been silent for 24 hours and what he told the Taoiseach about when he came into possession of this knowledge that has serious implications for the integrity of the criminal prosecution system.

Deputies:

He is sulking.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I will deal with the two points on which Deputy Rabbitte questioned me yesterday. I was fully briefed on the first point. The second question he asked was when the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform knew about this matter. I stated yesterday that I did not know and that it was a matter for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. A spokesperson for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform put the reply to that question into the public domain immediately afterwards. I understand there is a Dáil question in that regard or that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform stated he would in some way deal with the matter in the House today. I understand he is well prepared to do that.

I was briefed on the first issue yesterday and my position, which I will restate, is exactly the same today. The Deputy asks whether I can give an assurance on the record of the House that no case might arise in the future, that no case is pending or that no case might come through the Court of Appeal where this evidence would be required. I cannot give such an assurance because it is not my responsibility.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Taoiseach said it last night.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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A decision in regard to proceeding with a trial or a retrial is exclusively a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is correct.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Legislation has been passed by this House to make that the case. The DPP is an independent officer who makes his own independent and objective assessment of the circumstances applying in each case. It is not the function of this House or any entity to seek to influence the decision of the DPP. I am not going to get into that. I never have and will not do so.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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What implications, if any, arise from Dr. Harbison's condition are a matter for assessment by the DPP on a case by case basis. For me to suggest that the DPP could be definite that he would not be prepared for some case that might arise in one or two year's time in the Court of Appeal is not possible — I could not do that. I will not make such a stupid guess on a matter like that.

Whether any trial or retrial is to proceed is solely a matter for the DPP and his decision will be made on the basis of the evidence available to him. It is totally unwise to speculate on the effect, if any, that Dr. Harbison's condition might have on the DPP's decision in any particular case, the evidence that will be available to him when he makes that decision and what issues will be in contest in any trial.

I also point out that the sub judice rule applies in cases pending before our courts. I was careful in answering on this matter yesterday. My position is the same today. Somebody else might make an assessment of what might happen in the Court of Appeal in one or two year's time with regard to a case or a murder that happened five or six years ago — I will not go down that road.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The Taoiseach's spokesperson stated last night: "Government officials believe no further cases will be affected—"

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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On a point of order, no spokesperson on my behalf made any statement last night. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform made the statement.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I see.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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It was made in a public arena.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach is disassociating himself from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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What about collective responsibility?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is not quite as centralised a system as the Deputy's.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Allow Deputy Rabbitte to speak without interruption.

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Brian, you are surely levering him out now.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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How is it going, Deputy? The Deputy always comes to his defence.

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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You are leaving McDowell in the——

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is the first Labour Party man to propose it. Well done to him.

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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You are disowning him.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy always comes to his defence.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputies Penrose and Cowen should allow Deputy Rabbitte to continue.

Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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I hope the Deputy stands as firmly behind Deputy Parlon as he stands behind Deputy McDowell. He is on watery ground.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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We know that the Deputy will be on his own at the back in any case.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I take it we will hear from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform after that act of disowning.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Why is the Minister not in the House?

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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The fact of the matter is that the Taoiseach and the Government do not now take responsibility collectively for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The statement which I just read clearly sought last night to give the impression, which is repeated in the newspapers today, that no further cases will arise. That is now being disowned by the Taoiseach.

The Taoiseach goes back into "muddying the waters" mode as between the role of the DPP and the role of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I have made clear the responsibility for the State pathology services is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Taoiseach again today evaded the critical questions. I asked him whether any issues arise in respect of the evidence of Dr. Harbison or the reliability of that evidence in any case prior to the Laide case. He did not answer that question.

It is not something that he cannot know. Has any such case arisen? I am aware that one has. In the Kiely case, a situation arose where a person was convicted for murder and rape. In a retrial, that conviction was changed to manslaughter and rape. The presiding judge, Mr. Justice Barry White, stated that the fact that former State pathologist Professor John Harbison became ill and was not available to give evidence was perhaps to the defendant's benefit.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy's time is concluded.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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He stated that the pathology evidence given by Dr. Marie Cassidy, based on photographs, was less forceful. It led to a change of conviction in that case also.

This is a very important issue. The Taoiseach is the leader of the Government. I am merely seeking that he would reassure the House and through it the public with regard to the integrity of the criminal prosecution system. He ought to have a detailed note on this matter. I am amazed that he is disowning the statement from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. I am amazed that the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform made a statement which the Minister did not front. I am amazed that the Minister sought to create a distraction by stating that reform of the deposition system was necessary and that he intended to introduce law to make that change but he then resiled from that position on the same programme when challenged about it. I am amazed that there was a statement yesterday morning from the Minister that to have two State pathologists could not be contemplated for a variety of reasons best known to an eminent criminal lawyer who uses his position to cow people from asking questions, yet, this morning, we can have two State pathologists.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy's time is concluded.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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It is not good enough for the Taoiseach to come to the House and disown the Minister, Deputy McDowell, and his officials. What are the answers to the questions I raised yesterday? I do not believe the Taoiseach was not briefed. I believe he could easily have anticipated one of the more obvious and important questions that would be raised in the House. The fact that he feigns lack of briefing does not persuade me.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Rabbitte raises two issues. First, he asks whether we can give an assurance on the integrity of the criminal justice system. Of course we can — it is an independent system. The issue of prosecution of offences, which the Deputy tried to gloss over, is a matter solely for the DPP.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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That is not the issue I am raising.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy tried to go a little away but then he stopped.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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No, I did not.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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We are talking about the pathology service. The Taoiseach is avoiding the issue.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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A decision on proceeding with a trial or a retrial, which is the core of the Deputy's point, is exclusively a matter for the DPP. Therefore, I cannot understand how anybody other than the DPP can give that answer.

On the Deputy's next question, the Minister last night clarified whether there were any known cases — Deputy Rabbitte also asked that question today. There was no confusion. The Minister clarified it. I stated in the House that I did not have the detail——

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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What did he clarify?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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——and neither should I have the detail of previous cases. The Minister answered on that through his spokesperson——

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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He did nothing of the kind.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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——which was quite in order.

In his third question, Deputy Rabbitte asked me to put on record when the Minister knew the position with regard to Professor Harbison. The Minister clarified that point last night. I will restate the position. He said that in January 2003 gardaí had suggested to a senior official in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform that Professor Harbison should not take on new cases, given that he was getting on and that the murder cases were generally taking a considerable time to reach trial. Professor Harbison was then aged approximately 68. He subsequently retired and performed no new autopsies after that time. Until recently, he dealt with his work giving evidence in pre-2003 cases. That is the answer to the Deputy's question. There is no confusion regarding any of those issues.

To answer the question that the Deputy was asking yesterday and today, it has nothing to do with briefing. He asks whether I can give him an assurance that there is no case, either under way or that ultimately might go to the Court of Appeal, the judgment of which evidence from Professor Harbison or some other fact could alter. I cannot do so, since it would be totally improper. It will be decided case by case on the day. The very point that Deputy Rabbitte makes is that for the integrity of the criminal justice system and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the only person who can make that judgment is the DPP.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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On this day 20 years ago, the devastating potential of nuclear power was unleashed by the explosion of just one reactor at Chernobyl. Some 190 tonnes of uranium and graphite were expelled into the atmosphere, contaminating for thousands of years an area around the plant the size of England and Ireland combined. The people of Chernobyl were exposed to radioactivity 90 times greater than the explosion at Hiroshima, and yet only 3% of the radioactivity contained in the plant was released. I acknowledge that the Government has been helpful in supporting the work of the Chernobyl Children's Project and the many other groups trying to alleviate the victims' suffering, which continues across the generations. I also thank Adi Roche and the many volunteers and families involved since the disaster, many of them in my constituency.

The question is whether the Taoiseach will to any practical extent help prevent another such disaster closer to home at Sellafield. It is ominous that after the RTE "Fallout" programme, the Government number, 1890 443322, was playing a recorded announcement or else engaged when people to whom I spoke sought more information. God help us were we to have a disaster. The Taoiseach speaks of having an emergency plan published, but will he circulate it? Now is when people are most likely to read it, given the anniversary we are discussing today. Will the Taoiseach require the emergency services to carry out an exercise, something that the fire service, for example, has mentioned? The Irish Times has reported that the emergency services are ill-equipped to deal with nuclear disaster. One reason is that they have never carried out an exercise to assess how they might cope in the event of a major emergency. I know that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, who was in the House, has not audited local authorities' emergency plans, and the emergency services are not clear that they have acceptable measures in place.

The Taoiseach speaks of paying attention to television and finding out what the British Government is thinking. Will he make a submission on behalf of the Government to the British regarding their talk of expanding their nuclear programme? Is it not a basic requirement of the Government that it state that we will not stand idly by while the potential for another Chernobyl grows across the water?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding publishing the information, the plans are on the websites of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. Both are readily available.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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How many hits have they received?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The RPII has been very active in promoting its plan through its literature, which I have seen. A public information leaflet on what to do in a nuclear emergency was distributed to all households a few years ago. A new print run of the revised leaflet is to be distributed to public libraries and citizens' information centres. The full emergency plan has been disseminated by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. There is no need to circulate the entire plan among the public since many parts are very detailed and technical, but it is available where necessary.

In passing, I will mention a debate that I heard last night. I have discussed the matter and raised it formally with the British Government on many occasions. We will continue the fight for the safe closure of Sellafield, which poses an unacceptable threat on the grounds of pollution, poor safety and the potentially devastating impact of a serious incident. We have initiated legal proceedings in two separate fora regarding the Sellafield MOX plant, under the OSPAR Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Judge Advocate General issued an opinion regarding the European Court of Justice ruling against us last January, which we continue to dispute, with a full legal team working on it. The national plan has been audited, tested and validated in line with best practice, and we have used very high-ranking experts, details of whom the Minister, Deputy Roche, has provided in recent days.

I agree with Deputy Sargent that none of these issues should be taken lightly. Nowadays there is always a risk of terrorist attacks, including some that one can hardly envisage. For those reasons, we must be careful. We will continue helping, in every way possible, the various organisations and individuals that have assisted Chernobyl, particularly Adi Roche.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I asked four questions and received an answer to one, namely, that the Government will not circulate the plan to every household.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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That is quite a good score.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Perhaps one out of four from the Taoiseach is not that bad.

However, I also asked whether the fire service would have an emergency exercise to assess how we might cope. That is what it seeks, but I have not had an answer. There has never been such an exercise. Second, I requested an audit of the local authority plans rather than of the national plan, which is different. The local authority plans have not been audited by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Third, I asked whether the Taoiseach had made a formal submission to the British Government. We know about the cases against Sellafield under UNCLOS and so forth, but the current issue is expansion rather than the retention of existing installations.

Since the Government supported my amendment in 1999 ruling out nuclear power in law, we know what it is against. The question that people need answered is what the Government is for. We are the fifth most oil-dependent country in the world, and that position is getting worse. We are building 300 km of road this year and no rail. What is the Government for when it comes to acting on the potential of renewables and energy savings?

A report has stated that wind farms could transform the Irish Sea from the most radioactive in the world to the green energy powerhouse of Europe. Will the Government act on that or will it continue supporting EURATOM, which promotes nuclear expansion? Will it shrug its shoulders when Forfás presents nuclear power as an option for Ireland and the proposed Schedule 7 in the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill leaves open the possibility of building a plant?

Apart from helping the victims and closing nuclear installations, which we hope will happen, the best commemoration would be to follow the example of Sweden which has said that by 2020 it will end its reliance on oil and phase out nuclear power. That is the sort of action that we require from the Government. Will the Taoiseach show us the only real action that can truly commemorate Chernobyl and indicate that we have learnt lessons?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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As regards the fire service and emergency plans, the fire service has been involved in many exercises and I have no difficulty with any of those issues which are for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The Deputy knows there is a renewed debate across Europe about the viability of nuclear energy and he knows our view on it. We do not see it as a solution. Its consequences are dangerous in the short, medium and long term. In the paper on energy reform, which will be published shortly, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources will set out our options on this issue

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Will the Government make a submission to the British Government?

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Let us be very clear about this. As a result of the cases, actions and meetings at official and ministerial levels and at my level, the British Government is very much aware of our position. The British Government, as a sovereign one, has announced details of a review of energy policy, including nuclear energy, for an updated energy policy which will be published in a few months' time. We are fully engaged in a consultation process on this policy.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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The Government has not made a submission.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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We robustly represent the concerns of the people on any proposals which have a negative impact on public health. The Deputy may think writing a letter is better than setting out our position. I would say to the Green Party that, thankfully, this side of the House did not have to wait until its formation to take a position on non-proliferation. This side of the House has been doing that since 1959——

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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The Green Party was the first party to call for the closure of Sellafield.

Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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——which was about 40 years before we ever heard——

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Fianna Fáil wanted nuclear power then.