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Irish concerns in relation to Sellafield were voiced by Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Phil Hogan, T.D., when he met his British counterpart, Mr. Chris Huhne, MP, Secretary of State for Climate Change and Energy, at the weekend.

 Minister Hogan arranged to meet Secretary of State Huhne on Saturday (March 26th) on the margins of an Informal Council of EU Environment Ministers held by the Hungarian EU Presidency in Budapest.  At the meeting, the Minister, while acknowledging the ongoing constructive dialogue between the Irish and UK authorities on nuclear safety issues, re-iterated the concerns of the Irish Government in relation to Sellafield, both in relation to discharges into the Irish Sea and the risks associated with an accident at the plant.

Against the background of recent events at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, the Minister emphasised the importance of the Ireland/UK Bilateral Notification Agreement in place for the early notification of nuclear accidents/events and expressed the clear Irish Government view that Sellafield should be covered by the “stress testing” arrangements agreed by European Heads of State and Government at the European Council last week.

Secretary of State Huhne acknowledged the Irish Government’s concerns and indicated his Government’s continued support for the ongoing constructive engagement between Ireland and the UK on nuclear-related matters.  He also confirmed that the UK will be participating in the development of the proposed ‘stress test’ to ensure that the robustness of the safety arrangements at nuclear facilities, including Sellafield, are challenged and improved where necessary in light of events in Japan. 

Speaking after the meeting, Minister Hogan said:

“I am pleased to have had a useful discussion with Secretary of State Huhne.  Ireland will be engaging constructively in the rigorous application of the stress test regime and in pressing urgently for any follow up required on foot of its findings.  Our paramount concern is to ensure that the highest levels of nuclear safety are in place.”