Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on raising the privatisation of British nuclear fuels at EU level. [22448/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The decision by the United Kingdom Government to approve the sale of British Nuclear Group Sellafield Ltd. (BNG) was made in the context of the Strategy document published on 30 March 2006 by the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). This Strategy outlines how the NDA proposes to tackle the decommissioning and clean up of the 20 nuclear sites, including Sellafield, over which they have control.

This restructuring was considered at EU level when an investigation was launched by the EU Commission under Article 88(2) of the EU Treaty. The investigation considered whether the transfer of the assets and liabilities of the British Nuclear Group to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority complied with EU rules on State Aids. The Commission announced on 4 April 2006 that the transfer was in compliance because British Nuclear Group was deemed to have met the principle that the 'polluter pays'. It is not clear that the particular issue of the privatisation of the British Nuclear Group would attract further interest at EU level.

Our concerns regarding the privatisation of BNG relate to the potential impact on safety at Sellafield and risks that could be posed to Ireland. We consider that the activities of privatised companies involved in the nuclear industry require close scrutiny and coordination, to ensure that safety is not compromised in pursuit of profit. I raised specific concerns about the use of private contractors in the industry when I met the Chairman and the Chief Executive of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority in November last in Dublin. I also made clear in that meeting and in an earlier meeting with the United Kingdom Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry, Mr. Alan Johnson MP, in October 2005 that the issue of safety at Sellafield must be paramount and the reduction of hazards and risks on the site must be the priority.

Regardless of the privatisation of any element of the British Nuclear apparatus, the Irish Government will continue to hold the UK Government accountable and responsible for the operation of the Sellafield Nuclear Plant. The current position whereby both the ownership of the site and control of the operations undertaken at Sellafield are the responsibility of the UK Government through the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority will continue. The UK authorities have confirmed to my Office that the privatisation of the British Nuclear Group will not alter this position.

I would like to make it very clear that we hold, and will continue to hold the UK Government accountable and responsible for the operation of the Sellafield nuclear facility. Our concerns regarding operational safety, marine discharges and the storage of large volumes of highly active waste at Sellafield remain, and as Minister I will continue to articulate these concerns clearly and consistently to the UK Government and Administration, and at appropriate opportunities, in Europe.