Results 22,441-22,460 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: I would appreciate it if Mr. McDonald could send all the background documentation to the committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: Subsequent to that meeting on 17 January 2011, a letter went from the then Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, to his counterpart on 24 January. Deputy Ó Cuív had only been in office a day. He was holding down three portfolios at the time, which was quite a feat. The letter stated that, having regard to the relevant considerations, the Government was of the view that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: The impression that was created in Mr. McDonald's presentation was that we would not be seeking a formal transboundary consultation. However, the letter to which I refer said that we would be doing so in respect of specific projects.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: On page 3 of his presentation, Mr. McDonald cites the fact that the UK Government again wrote a letter in December 2016. The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy reiterated its view that Hinckley was not likely to cause a significantly adverse impact and that it was not required to undertake transboundary consultation under the Espoo Convention. Mr. McDonald also says that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: I refer to the Espoo Convention. There was a complaint by an Irish NGO to the convention implementation committee about the lack of consultation with the Irish public on Hinkley. Ireland received a letter from the committee on 14 October 2013 asking if we thought the proposed nuclear plant was likely to cause significant transboundary effect. The UN committee asked specifically whether the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: There may be confusion about the various letters to which I am referring. Surely the letter concerning the Espoo Convention that was sent by the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in December 2016 resulted from the Espoo Convention implementation committee's finding that the UK was in breach of the convention. Was that not what gave rise to the letter being issued?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: The Espoo Convention implementation committee has found that the risk of an accidental or unplanned release of radioactive material from Hinkley Point is covered by the convention, regardless of however small the UK assesses that risk to be. Does the Department agree with that finding?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: Therefore, the Government formally disagrees with the Espoo Convention implementation committee's assessment that the risk, as small as it may be, of leakage or release of radioactive material from Hinkley Point is covered under the Espoo Convention.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: What would be the position of the Government in any submission with regard to the draft finding? Would we agree or disagree with it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: The report of the Espoo Convention implementation committee was considered at the triennial meeting of the parties to the convention last June. The Minister was not present. No Irish delegation or official was present. Why was that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: This is not an inconsequential bilateral issue between the two nations involved. Indeed, a number of other countries, including Austria, Germany and Norway, are involved. This is not a small issue on a European political or diplomatic basis. Given that this draft report seems to be contested from the point of view of the Department or the Government, why did we not attend the meeting at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: I take the point. I will avail of the opportunity to put this question directly to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. A complaint made by the Friends of the Irish Environment, an NGO that has consistently been raising this issue, was accepted by the international organisation that is in place to oversee matters relating to the Espoo Convention. Why has that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: I would like to put a final question to Mr. McDonald before I put one or two questions to the officials from the EPA. As I understand it, the ESRI study he mentioned estimates that costs of €4 billion, or indeed more, could arise as a consequence of an accident - please God it will not ever happen - at Hinkley Point. Does the Department agree with the assessment in the ESRI study?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: However, not to the extent where we want to have the right to engage in transboundary assessment of projects.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: I am conscious of time so I will finish up after I have put a final question to Dr. Lehane and Dr. McMahon. It is unfortunate that we are so limited. It is probably unlikely that Hinkley Point will ever get built because it is so uneconomic. If it is built and there is an accident, what sorts of timelines will apply? How much notice would we have to react to an unplanned release from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: The hit could be taken by the food industry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: There were consequences for some farmers as a result of Chernobyl and that was for an extended period.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: Senator Grace O'Sullivan asked the head of Irish Water, Mr. Jerry Grant, about the risk of radioactive contamination to our water supply. He said that if a nuclear accident happened outside Ireland, we might get some warning but that there would be no way to stop systems from being contaminated. Is there an issue in that regard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Developments at Hinkley Point C Power Plant: Discussion (16 May 2018)

Eamon Ryan: In light of the ESRI report on the potential risks relating to food and in the context of the small possibility of an accident happening, the question as to whether the Government should consider that the proposed plant would be likely to cause significant adverse transboundary impacts on the territory of Ireland should be answered in the affirmative rather than the negative.