Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will give an assurance to the Houses of the Oireachtas that the advice put forward in the Forfás Report, A Baseline Assessment of Ireland's Oil Dependence that Ireland should consider building a nuclear power plant, has been dismissed by the Government, that no Department officials within his remit are looking at this option; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16520/06]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his views on whether Ireland will have at anytime a nuclear power plant; the likely effect of such a plant on the environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16618/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 153 together.

I am aware of the Forfas Report to which the Deputy refers. The Report acknowledges the explicit Government policy position on nuclear generation in Ireland while commenting that consideration of the option should not be precluded in light of international developments. The use of nuclear fission for the generation of electricity in Ireland is statutorily prohibited under the Electricity Regulation Act, 1999. The option is not on the table and is not being looked at by my Department. International developments will continue to be monitored, as it is in Ireland's interests to be fully appraised of trends and policy directions in other jurisdictions in this area, but there will be no change in long-standing Government policy on nuclear energy generation in Ireland in line with the national consensus and the statutory prohibition.