andMr. Corish asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy when it is proposed to publish the terms of reference of the proposed public inquiry on the nuclear power plant at Carnsore Point, County Wexford, and if those terms of reference will be sufficiently broad to include consideration of Ireland's overall energy needs in the medium- and long-term future, in addition to matters relating to the installation, supply, security, management and environmental protection of a nuclear power plant.

14.

andMr. Corish asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy when it is proposed to hold the public inquiry into the proposed nuclear power plant at Carnsore Point, County Wexford, and if this inquiry will be totally separate to the oral hearing which may take place as a result of the third party appeals to An Bord Pleanála in the event of a decision by Wexford County Council to grant planning permission to the application from the ESB for a nuclear power plant.

15.

andMr. Corish asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the legislation under which it is proposed to hold a public inquiry into the proposed nuclear power plant at Carnsore Point, County Wexford, and if the establishment of the inquiry will involve a resolution including the terms of reference of that inquiry being voted upon in the Oireachtas.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 14 and 15 together.

I would refer the Deputies to the recent statement I made concerning the Government's decision about the ESB nuclear project. That statement made it clear that special legislation dealing with the building of nuclear power stations in this country and providing, in particular, for the setting up of a special tribunal to hold a single comprehensive inquiry, in public, into all aspects of the ESB project will be introduced in the Dáil. While the precise terms of the Bill have not yet been settled, it is intended that the proposed inquiry will permit consideration of the environmental and planning aspects presently covered by the Planning Acts and the Water Pollution Act and also such matters as health, economics, safety and security. The necessity to provide for appeals to An Bord Pleanála will not, therefore, arise.

An inter-departmental committee comprising representatives at senior level of relevant Departments is being set up to assess the ESB nuclear proposals in detail, as well as investigating all other relevant aspects of the project such as energy demand forecasts and all alternative means of meeting this demand.

Three meetings of the inter-departmental committee have already taken place and it is my intention that the committee will report to me before the tribunal sits so that their report can be published and presented to the tribunal. The proposed tribunal will, of course, be free to consider evidence from other sources.

Will the Minister ensure that experts who have experience in the building and operation of these nuclear power stations will be invited by him to give evidence?

It would be a matter for the tribunal as to who gives evidence. I would envisage that certainly one person at least with knowledge of that kind might sit as a member of the tribunal.

That is somebody from some other country?

Yes.

16.