Dáil Éireann - Volume 494 - 30 September, 1998

Written Answers - Nuclear Safety.

Mr. Bell Mr. Bell

100. Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has succeeded in obtaining probability risk assessments from BNFL or the United Kingdom's Government in relation to the high level waste storage plants at Sellafield; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17777/98]

Minister of State in the Department of Public Enterprise (Mr. Jacob) Minister of State in the Department of Public Enterprise (Mr. Jacob)

331

[331] Minister of State in the Department of Public Enterprise (Mr. Jacob): I should point out that my concerns about the storage of High Level Waste at Sellafield have been conveyed to the UK Authorities on a number of occasions. In recent correspondence with the UK Minister for Energy, Mr. John Battle, MP, I called for the vitrification programme to be accelerated to facilitate a much earlier target date than 2015 for the clearance of the backlog of the waste.

Up to now, BNFL has refused to release publicly probabilistic risk assessment on grounds of commercial confidentiality. I have written to UK Ministers in support of the RPII's request for access to the probabilistic assessments. Since then the RPII has been in discussions with BNFL about alternative means of reassuring the RPII about safety standards which would overcome BNFL's misgivings about commercial confidentiality. To date these contacts have not yet concluded.

Dáil Éireann 494 Written Answers Nuclear Safety.

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