16 Mr. Collins asked the Minister for the Environment the effect on his Department of the proposed privatisation of the British nuclear industry. [9953/95]

23 Miss Coughlan asked the Minister for the Environment the effect on his Department of the proposed privatisation of the British nuclear industry. [9955/95]

49 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment the effect on his Department of the proposed privatisation of the British nuclear industry. [9956/95]

60 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for the Environment the effect on his Department of the proposed privatisation of the British nuclear industry. [9957/95]

76 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment the effect on his Department of the proposed privatisation of the British nuclear industry. [9954/95]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 23, 49, 60 and 76 together.

I refer to the reply by the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications to Question No. 22 of 17 May 1995 which fully explained the Government's attitude to the recently announced decision of the UK Government to privatise elements of the British nuclear industry.

While this specific decision has no direct implications for my Department, the wider question of nuclear safety is rightly perceived as of major environmental importance. Accordingly, I am committed to lending all such support as may be possible within the exercise of my ministerial duties, including those relating to the EU Environment Council and other international fora, to the Government's stated objectives for improved nuclear safety. These objectives relate, in particular, to Sellafield and the Irish Sea and a Committee of Ministers and senior officials is developing a detailed strategy for implementing them.