Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the actions he proposes to take following the announcement of the conclusion of the UK Energy Review on 11 July, 2006 which allows for the building of additional nuclear power plants in the UK, in view of his condemnation of the original decision. [30921/06]

Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has considered an alternative strategy to persuade the British authorities to shut Sellafield on foot of the July 2006 publication of the UK energy review which favours greater reliance on nuclear power; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30960/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 217 together.

The United Kingdom Government published the report on the UK Energy Review on 11 July 2006. The report sets out the UK strategy for ensuring its energy future and makes clear that the UK Government believes that nuclear has a significant role to play in the future electricity generating mix.

The Green Paper on a European Energy Policy published by the European Commission in March recognises that each member State will have to meet its energy needs in accordance with choices based on its own national preferences and taking into account sustainability, competitiveness, energy efficiency and security of supply. This applies to Ireland which has a non-nuclear stance, and to all other Member States.

Ireland remains firmly opposed to the use of nuclear energy to generate electric power, on the grounds that it poses many risks to human health, the economy and the environment, as well as risks associated with waste and transport. While other countries are sovereign in relation to energy mix options, adverse environmental consequences have arisen for Ireland as a result of nuclear policy decisions and actions adopted by the UK in the past and any proposals by the UK to develop new nuclear capacity must be addressed in this context. In particular, the impact of UK nuclear policy decisions on the continued operation of the Sellafield reprocessing plant are of serious concern to the Government. Our concerns in this regard have been consistently articulated to the UK administration at Prime Minister, Ministerial and official level and by way of input to the consultation process undertaken by the UK as part of its Energy Review. I will be meeting the UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Mr. Alistair Darling, shortly and I will again outline the Irish Government's significant concerns regarding the outcome of the UK Energy review.

Irish Government policy continues to reflect our firm view that the existence of Sellafield is an unacceptable threat to Ireland and that it should be closed. We will continue to take every opportunity to make our views regarding Sellafield known to the UK Government at the highest levels. The Government will also continue to use every legal and diplomatic avenue open to it to secure the closure and safe decommissioning of the Sellafield Nuclear Plant.