Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has a role in the protection of nuclear materials that may be transported in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6732/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I assume the Deputy refers to radioactive material and devices incorporating radioactive material which are referred to as nuclear devices in the Radiological Protection Act 1991 and are routinely transported by road within the State to hospitals, research laboratories and to or from sites where industrial radiography is performed.

Transportations such as these are regulated under licence from the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. The licence obliges the licensee to comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material and any possible additional requirements set out in the licence. Furthermore, in the case of the transportation of very large sources used in medical product sterilisation facilities, the Garda is informed when such transportation is taking place. Transportation of nuclear material, including fissile materials such as uranium 235 or plutonium, does not take place within the State.