Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 419: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there have been at least eight radioactive leaks from radioactive waste storage facilities at a British naval base at Faslane, Scotland over the past ten years; if he has discussed the potential danger this may present for Ireland with any member of the British Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23076/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is aware of reports from the relevant UK authorities of a number of leaks of radioactive material into the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, from the Faslane naval base in recent years. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) has advised that ongoing environmental monitoring by them and other agencies shows no evidence of an increase in radioactivity concentrations in the Irish Sea that could be attributable to releases from the base in question. The RPII's environmental monitoring programme has been in place for a number of decades. It is a comprehensive, robust and well developed programme which is designed to detect any anomalies that might arise as a result of radioactive leaks into the Irish Sea. As such it offers a high level of confidence that any anomalies resulting from the Faslane leaks would be detected.

In view of the RPII advice, the specific issue of radiation releases at Faslane has not been raised with the British authorities in our ongoing contacts with them. These contacts have been expanded and enhanced significantly in recent years and issues of concern to the Government are raised with the British authorities in this framework of enhanced co-operation.

The Government takes seriously the issue of any actual or potential radioactive contamination of the Irish Sea by UK nuclear installations. This is evidenced by our continuing efforts to bring about the decommissioning and closure of the Sellafield plant in Cumbria, as well as our work through the Oslo-Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) to achieve progressive and substantial reductions of radioactive discharges into the Irish Sea. OSPAR is one of a number of international bodies through which the Government seeks continuing improvements in nuclear safety and radiological protection. In addition, Ireland's strong stance on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament is well known internationally and I and my officials underline it at all appropriate fora.