Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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622. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the correspondence he has received from the United Kingdom on the proposed nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point C; and the response he has made. [16481/17]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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623. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the correspondence he has received from the United Kingdom on the proposed nuclear power plant at Wylfa; and the response he has made. [16482/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 622 and 623 together.

Ireland’s established position is that, while not a nuclear energy producing country, we acknowledge the right of States to determine their own energy mix. However, we expect 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. The Irish Government have been aware since 2009 of the UK’s plans to build new nuclear power stations at sites judged as potentially suitable.

There is regular contact at official level on a range of nuclear related matters between Ireland and the United Kingdom. This contact is formalised in the biannual meetings of the UK-Ireland Contact Group on Radiological Matters. This group includes Departmental officials and representatives from the relevant Regulatory bodies - the United Kingdom's Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Office for Radiological Protection. Ireland has been actively involved in the consultations process on the proposed new build programme which is a standing agenda item at UK-Ireland Contact Group on Radiological Matters meetings.

The Government asked the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII), now merged with EPA, to prepare a report on the potential radiological implications for Ireland from the proposed new nuclear power plants in the UK including Hinkley Point C and Wylfa. This expert report, published in 2013, is available at:

A principal finding of the report is that the routine operation of the proposed nuclear power plants will have no measurable radiological impact on Ireland or the Irish marine environment. This report continues to inform Irish engagement on the UK new nuclear build programme.

In relation to the development at Hinkley my Department recently received a letter from the UK Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy asking if Ireland considered whether notification under the Espoo Convention, which deals with trans-boundary environmental impacts, would be useful. In response my Department stated that such future notification would be useful.