Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government his views on recently published plans by the British Government that could see it build a next-generation nuclear power plant adjacent to the controversial Sellafield site in Cumbria by 2025. [17707/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Ireland recognises the right of States to determine their own energy mix, including whether or not to develop nuclear power. It is Ireland's expectation that, where a State chooses to develop a nuclear power industry, this will be done in line with the highest international standards with respect to safety and environmental protection.

In view of the potential for transboundary impacts, however unlikely, the importance of prioritising nuclear safety and environmental protection is a matter of concern to non-nuclear States such as Ireland. With regard to the UK's plans for new nuclear build, including at Sellafield, my Department has engaged bilaterally with the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change on these plans since they were first signalled a number of years ago.

My Department has also participated in formal UK Government consultations on the issue, including on the Nuclear National Policy Statement recently published by the UK. This engagement serves to highlight to the UK any concerns identified from Ireland's perspective in relation to the planned new nuclear build. Concerns raised to date have related to the long-term management of radioactive waste, about which there are a number of unresolved issues. My Department has also questioned whether the potential cumulative impacts of having multiple nuclear sites in one area have been adequately assessed, including with respect to emergency planning and response and radioactive discharges to the Irish Sea.

As part of these ongoing discussions UK authorities have advised my Department that they have identified no likely significant transboundary effects. I will continue in these efforts to ensure that the UK authorities are made aware of and address our concerns and take all possible steps to ensure that the highest levels of safety apply at Sellafield and any other new plants to be developed in the coming years. At the request of my Department, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland is conducting an independent assessment of possible impacts for Ireland from the UK's new nuclear build programme. This work is ongoing and it is expected that the results of the assessment will be provided to my Department in Autumn 2011.