asked the Minister for Industry and Energy if he is aware of recent reports concerning the nuclear plant at Windscale indicating that that plant is among the dirtiest of all nuclear plants; and if he has considered the implications of such a situation for the Irish Sea and for this country.

I have assumed that the Deputy is referring to a report of March 1982 entitled "The Impact of Nuclear Waste Disposals to the Marine Environment" compiled by the Political Ecology Research Group, UK for the environmental organisation, Greenpeace, UK.

I am aware of this report and of related articles in Irish newspapers of 5 and 14 April.

I assure the Deputy that the situation regarding the Windscale fuel reprocessing plant and the radioactivity levels in the Irish Sea arising from the discharge of low level liquid radioactive wastes from Windscale is kept under continuous review.

Discharges of effluents to the Irish Sea are controlled by authorisations issued by the relevant UK authorities that such doses are well within the limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection and the standards established by directive of the European Community. The UK authorities undertake extensive monitoring programmes to ensure that their authorisations are observed and that no public hazards arise.

The Nuclear Energy Board in conjunction with the Department of Fisheries undertake an on-going monitoring programme which includes the sampling and analysis of fish and seaweed samples. The board have advised me that it is clear from the resultant radioactivity data that doses to people living in Ireland due to the activity levels of the Irish Sea are extremely small and do not constitute a radiological hazard.

May I ask the Minister three questions? First of all, has he personally seen these very authoritative reports and, if so, what is his comment in relation to the allegation that Windscale is now amongst the dirtiest nuclear plants anywhere in the world? In that light, how does he consider it acceptable in relation to its implications for this part of the world? Secondly, is the Minister aware that allegedly there has been a continuous uncontrolled leakage of contaminated water from this plant over the last number of years. Does he believe that that standard is acceptable to Irish people and indeed to the fishermen who fish in those waters? Thirdly, can the Minister be as precise as possible about the nature of the constant monitoring and constant review to which he refers? Am I to assume that the fairly bland and complacent assurances he has given this House are based on some kind of a hand-out from his counterpart across the water? I want to know on what the Minister bases——

It is not based on what the Deputy suggests anyway. What was the second part of the Deputy's question?

How can the Minister say that if he has to ask me what I have just asked him?

Would the Deputy await the replies to his supplementaries?

The specialists in this area under my Department are the Nuclear Energy Board. I am aware of the reports the Deputy mentions; I have read them. But I must say also that I would question the people to whom the reports are attributed; the Nuclear Energy Board would question their expertise in this area, who they are, what is their professional situation in relation to radioactive waste. The Nuclear Energy Board, who are the specialists in this situation, are quite satisfied — from what I have already read out to the House — that the activity levels in the Irish Sea are extremely small and do not constitute a radiological hazard.

Would the Minister be good enough to answer the second part of the question in relation to the allegation of a continuous uncontrolled leakage at the plant?

The information on that is covered by the report to me by the Nuclear Energy Board, that is, that they do not constitute a radiological hazard and they are the people with the expertise in this area under my Department. If the Deputy has any information he thinks is new on this scene I shall be glad to accept it from him, have it totally investigated by the Nuclear Energy Board and will give him an answer.

But the Minister has not answered the question.

I have.

Has the Minister carried out investigations into the repeated and widely reported allegation that there has been a continuous and uncontrolled leakage of radioactive type material from this plant?

The Nuclear Energy Board are satisfied that the conditions in the Irish Sea are as I have already stated.

That has nothing to do with it. Would the Minister answer the question?

If there is any further information Deputies require on this subject——

The Minister is avoiding a very important question. There either is or is not evidence of uncontrolled leakages. The Minister is seeking to avoid this by making a value judgment as to whether these constitute a radiological hazard. That is not the question. Are there or are there not, have there or have there not been uncontrolled leakages?

The question down to me asks if the plant is among the dirtiest of all nuclear plants, arising out of a report, and if I have considered the implications of such a situation for the Irish Sea and for this country.

That is not the supplementary question I asked.

The Nuclear Energy Board have investigated the matter fully in relation to all the allegations referred to, leakages and others, and are satisfied that no hazard of the extent to which the Deputy refers has taken place.

Question No. 9.

May I finally ask the Minister——

The Deputy started off with four supplementaries.

May I ask a final question.

No. We are on to Question No. 9.

On a point of order, may I ask if you would allow one final question?

That is not a point of order. I have called the next question.

Will you facilitate me?

I would like to facilitate the Deputy, but could he not raise this in another way?

On a genuine point of order, would you be good enough to consider my request to raise this matter on the Adjournment because I feel this is an extremely important matter and the Minister has evaded the central question.

The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.

9.