Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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324. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the communications he has held with his UK counterpart with regard to the decision of the UK to withdraw from Euratom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11094/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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The decision of the UK Government to withdraw from the Euratom Treaty was confirmed on 26 January, 2017 on the publication of the Bill seeking Parliamentary approval to issue notification of the UK’s intention to withdraw from the EU. I have not, as yet, received any correspondence or engaged with my UK counterpart on this matter. Officials in my Department are examining the consequences of this decision and, over the coming months, will engage as appropriate with the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the UK Office for Nuclear Regulation, through the UK-Ireland Contact Group on Radiological Matters. A regular bi-annual meeting of this group is scheduled for late April where the matter will be discussed and further discussions will be arranged as appropriate.

There are no immediate safety or security concerns as the UK remains a member of Euratom and the UK nuclear industry remains subject to oversight by the EU institutions until such time as their withdrawal from the EU is finalised, a process expected to take at least two years following notification. 

The UK also applies the strict international standards on nuclear safety and security laid down by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and that will continue to be the case post Brexit.