Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to a shipment of plutonium dioxide currently being transported from the Sellafield nuclear complex to Cherbourg in France; if he will confirm that such a shipment will pass down the Irish Sea on route to France; if so, if his further attention has been drawn to the dangers posed by this transport; if he will further confirm that the Coast Guard has been asked to take special precautions regarding the shipments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15116/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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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. These shipments travel through the Irish Sea in UK territorial waters and do not enter Irish territorial waters.

The continuing concerns of the Irish Government regarding safety, security and environmental risk from a potential accident 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.

The Irish Government has consistently made 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. It is a matter for the Coast Guard Service to determine and carry out any monitoring or other requirements in respect of these shipments. 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.