Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the procedures in place to monitor shipments of mox fuel from the Sellafield plant to ensure that they do not pass through Irish waters; and the plans in place with the British Government in the event of an emergency arising. [7346/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Mixed Oxide (MOX) Plant at Sellafield utilises plutonium, separated during reprocessing of spent fuel for foreign customers at Sellafield, and returns it, predominantly by sea, to those customers in the form of MOX fuel for use in their nuclear reactors.

Such shipments of radioactive material are subject to international maritime regulations including the right of innocent passage and to strict international safety standards applicable to the marine transport of such material.

The continuing concerns of the Irish Government in relation to all transports of radioactive material through the Irish Sea are regularly and repeatedly conveyed to the UK Government at Ministerial and official level. Ireland also co-operates on this issue with like minded coastal States at international fora such as the International Atomic Energy Agency. Our concerns relate to safety, security and environmental risk from an accident or incident.

Arising from our efforts over the years, information is made available to Ireland on a voluntary and confidential basis by the Governments of shipping States, principally, Japan, France and the UK, in relation to shipments of radioactive material including MOX fuel. The Irish Government in response makes clear that such shipments are unwelcome, and seeks and obtains assurances from shipping States that such shipments will not enter Irish territorial waters and that they comply with the stringent system of regulation established in line with internationally agreed standards and practices.

The information received is transmitted for operational reasons to relevant Government Authorities such as the Coast Guard Service. The Coast Guard has access to Naval resources (and other resources of the State) as and when required to address operational requirements on a case by case basis.

Any potential accident or incident involving these shipments would be covered by the Bi-Lateral Agreement on Early Notification of a Nuclear Incident between Ireland and the UK, and there is a highly developed co-operation and co-ordination relationship between the respective Coast Guards of Ireland and the UK in relation to all potential maritime emergencies. Additionally, I understand that the company undertaking these marine shipments has in place standing emergency response teams and procedures providing continuous cover on all aspects of emergency response should the need arise.