With regard to Question No. 18, would the Minister not agree that it would be preferable that nuclear waste should always be stored as far as possible on the site where it originates? What are his views on the storage of nuclear waste in undersea caverns? He has said that he is against that because if it is stored in an undersea cavern the danger is that it is not recoverable. It will remain radioactive for thousands of years and we have no way of ensuring in an undersea storage system that it would be recoverable and capable of being dealt with or neutralised in the event of something happening in the distant future. Consequently, will he continue to exercise pressure to ensure that no such storage proposal will get off the ground or come into being?

That is only one of the concerns in regard to the recoverable aspect. I am also concerned about further pollution of the sea. Leaving aside the recoverability in the event of any incident, the very existence of the undersea store could contaminate our seas further. The Deputy can be assured that I will use every available opportunity to lobby against this proposal. I have had discussions in the last fortnight with Mr. Clinton Davis, EC Commissioner for environmental issues and I lobbied there again for an EC inspectorate and brought to his attention the proposals of the UK Government. I raised the matter again at a ministerial meeting in Copenhagen recently and expressed the concern of the Irish Government at this proposal. The Deputy and the House can be assured that no opportunity will be lost and we will avail ourselves of every possible opportunity in this regard.