Natural Resources Minister Eamon Ryan today announced that he has declined to grant Prospecting Licences to two companies seeking to explore for uranium in Donegal. This signals a wider policy decision to prohibit such activity in Ireland.
Commenting today, Minister Ryan outlined the reasons behind his decision to prohibit exploration for uranium. “A prospecting license is the first step in the mining process. Granting a license carries an implicit policy agreement permitting its extraction should a viable prospect be discovered. This is where my concern lies.
The most likely end use of any uranium extracted in Ireland would be for nuclear electricity generation. It would be hypocritical to permit the extraction of uranium for use in nuclear reactors in other countries, while the nuclear generation of electricity is not allowed in Ireland, and particularly while the Irish Government continues to object to the operation of nuclear power generation at Sellafield and other locations.
There are also significant environmental and public health concerns surrounding uranium mining, including contamination of ground and surface water supplies and radiation levels.
I have decided, therefore, that as Minister for Communications, Energy & Natural Resources I will not license any prospecting for uranium in Ireland. In this decision we are following the example set by other countries who remain opposed to the nuclear generation of electricity, such as New Zealand.”
Notes to Editors:
A map showing the areas in Donegal for which uranium prospecting licences were sought can be downloaded here.
ENDS
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Fógraíonn Aire Ó Riain Stad le Thaiscéalaíocht d’Úráiniam in Éirinn
Baile Átha Cliath, 2ú Nollaig 2007
D’fhógair an tAire Ó Riain inniu gur dhiúltaigh sé Ceadúnais Taiscéalaíochta a bhronnadh ar dhá chomhlacht a bhí ag iarraidh cuardach Úráiniam a dhéanamh i dTír Chonaill. Léiríonn sé seo cinneadh beartais níos fairsinge chun a leithéid a thoirmisc in Éirinn.
I dtagairt dó seo leag an tAire Ó Riain amach na fáthanna lena chinneadh taiscéalaíocht um Úráiniam a thoirmisc: “Is é an Ceadúnas Taiscéalaíochta an chéad céim sa phróiseas mianadóireachta. Bheadh sé intuigthe in aon chinneadh ar thaiscéalaíocht um Úráiniam a cheadú go raibh comhaontú beartais ann go gceadófaí a bhaint dá dtiocfaí ar fhoslach fiúntach. Is é sin is cúis imní dom.
“An úsáid is dóchaí do chibé Úráiniam a bhainfí anseo ná d’fhonn leictreachas a ghinúint go núcléach. Bheadh sé fimíneach orm ligint do bhaint Úráiniam lena úsáid in imoibreoirí i dtíortha eile agus ag an am céanna seasamh in aghaidh ginúint núcléach leictreachais in Éirinn go háirithe agus Rialtas na hÉireann ag síor-chur in aghaidh giniúint cumhachta núcléigh i Sellafield Shasana agus in áiteanna eile.
“Tá imní nach beag faoi mhianadóireacht Úráiniam ó thaobh an chomhshaoil agus sláinte an phobail de, orthu siúd truailliú soláthairtí screamhuisce agus uisce dhromchla agus leibhéil gathaíochta.
“Mar sin tháinig mé ar an gcinneadh gan cheadú do thaiscéalaíocht um Úráiniam in Éirinn fad agus im’ Aire dom um Acmhainní Nádúrtha. San Chinneadh seo táimid ag déanamh amhail le tíortha eile ar nós na Nua-Séalainne agus Stát áirithe san Astráil atá daingean in aghaidh leictreachas a ghiniúint go núcléach.”
CRÍOCH
