Seanad debates
Wednesday, 2 July 2003
Nuclear Safety: Motion.
I mentioned this at the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body. A figure of £36 billion sterling in debts associated with Sellafield has been written off. As I pointed out then, would Aer Lingus be allowed by the EU Commission to write off even €100 million of debt? What has happened to the laws of competition? Why is it permissible to subsidise to such vast extent the nuclear industry, which is clearly so uneconomic? If one looks at the restructuring, the thing would collapse if it was not propped up by the government. I doubt if it is any longer much connected with the nuclear arms industry, although originally it was. If Britain thinks that Sellafield enables it to punch above its weight in international councils, I am sceptical about that.
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