Will the Minister agree with me that recent developments of many different kinds have underlined and emphasised the fact that our world today, because of the development of nuclear weapons and the way in which civil nuclear power is handled, is a very dangerous world?

Absolutely.

Will he agree that there is very real cause for concern, probably as much now, unfortunately, over civilian nuclear power as over nuclear testing? Does any course of action occur to him as Minister for Foreign Affairs that this country can take, perhaps in co-operation with other countries, to do something about this appallingly ominous, threatening situation? Will he agree that our apprehensions about Sellafield have now been dramatically confirmed over what happened in Russia? A nuclear power station, which the Russians assured the world was the safest on earth and that nothing could possibly happen to it, has experienced a devastating accident. I feel sure that the Minister agrees with me that there is very real cause for concern about this whole area of nuclear weapons. Would he care to comment on any worthwhile action that the Government of this small country could undertake, perhaps in co-operation with other countries?

I understand the reason that prompts Deputy Haughey to say after Monday's appalling accident in Russia that civilian nuclear power is as dangerous as nuclear weapons. The truth is that civilian nuclear power has killed more people and done more damage in the last 40 years since the end of the war than nuclear weapons. But, it would be an exaggeration not to recognise that the potential for destruction by nuclear weapons is infinitely greater than by civilian power stations. The levels and speed at which the two super powers have built up nuclear armaments over the last 40 years is terrifying for all the peoples of the world, including their own peoples. The stand-off position that existed between the two super powers for a number of years was resolved last year, I am glad to say, but that does not mean an end to the build up of nuclear armaments nor does it mean the destruction of existing nuclear armaments. However, at least they are now talking and that is a small but significant step forward. I share the concern about the safety of nuclear plants all over the world.

We have no nuclear plants, and I think that the most constructive attitude that this Government can take is that we can ensure that in the Community of which we are a member there is an overseeing policing authority for all nuclear plants to see that they are continuously monitored as to safety into the future. Regarding nuclear weapons, we must try to get the consensus that is important politically among the 12 member states of the Community to ensure that we speak as one voice in the CSCE and the UN particularly to bring home to the two super powers the danger for the world for generations to come of this build up of nuclear arms. That is where our strength lies as a small Government. They do not need persuading. They think alike on this. We must encourage the two super powers to get together and devise a method whereby they can step by step reduce their huge stocks of nuclear weapons.