FG slams Taoiseach's failure on Sellafield
Fine Gael has sharply criticised the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, after he revealed that Irish nuclear experts will not inspect the Sellafield plant in Britain until January at the earliest.
Mr Ahern confirmed today that a meeting between Ireland’s Radiological Protection Institute and British Nuclear Fuels, the company which owns Sellafield, has been delayed until January 14.
An inspection cannot be conducted until after that meeting, he said.
British Nuclear Fuels invited Ireland to inspect its plant at Sellafield six weeks ago after the Irish Government expressed concerns about the possible fallout from a terrorist attack on its radioactive storage tanks
As well as revealing that the meeting between Irish and British authorities has been delayed, Mr Ahern also revealed that it will take place in Dublin, not in Sellafield, as was originally planned.
This has angered Fine Gael, whose environmental spokeswoman, Deirdre Clune, said the Taoiseach should have insisted that the Radiological Protection Institute visit Sellafield at the earliest possible opportunity.
“To settle for this offer is not good enough,” she said. “It’s a fob-off as far as I’m concerned. The Taoiseach has been fobbed off and this Government has been fobbed off by the British authorities.”
Ms Clune went on to accuse the Taoiseach of being two-faced.
“This is an extraordinary turn of events considering the Taoiseach has made a great play of the fact that he is putting pressure at the highest levels to have Sellafield closed down,” she said.
“The Taoiseach must confirm, first of all, why the invitation issued by BNFL on November 3 to visit the plant was not followed through immediately. Secondly, why is the meeting of January 14 taking place in Dublin and not in Sellafield so that the RPII can inspect the plant for itself.”
