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Scientist quells Sellafield disaster fear


12/ 5/2005

AN accident at the Sellafield nuclear complex would contaminate Ireland's environment, but the country would not suffer deaths and devastation on the scale of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, says Ireland's top nuclear expert.

Dr Ann McGarry, chief of the Radiological Protection Institute, reassured members of a Dail parliament committee that the island would not be "wiped out" if dangerous radioactive material escaped from the Cumbrian plant.

TDs said they feared a "doomsday scenario" in the event of explosions or a terrorist attack on Sellafield, which the Irish Government wants to be shut down.

Chernobyl

But Dr McGarry told the committee in Dublin: "It's certainly not the case that we would have the devastation that's within the 30km exclusion zone around Chernobyl.

"Even if there was a worst-case scenario, there is no doubt that our environment would become contaminated and that it would have very serious economic consequences for us.

"We would certainly suffer into the longer term, but you would not have the kind of immediate devastation and deaths in the aftermath of a nuclear accident (like Chernobyl)."

Green TD Ciaran Cuffe predicted a possible "nightmare scenario" if a large aircraft crashed into huge tanks containing radioactive material. And last month Irish Environment Minister Dick Roche called on the British Government to shut Sellafield.

Should we depend less on nuclear power? Have your say.


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(4)


Most recent 2 of 4 user comments

   IF AN ACCIDENT HAPPENEND AT SELLAFIELD ON THE SAME SCALE AS THAT ONE IN CHEROBYLE THREE QUARTERS OF GREAT BRITAIN WOULD BE CONTAMINATED SAY NO TO NUCLEAR POWER THERE HIS 200 YEARS OF COAL UNDER OUR FEET THERE ARE WIND FARMS SOLAR PLUS OTHER FORMS OF ENERGY
p, LANCASHIRE
30/01/2006 at 18:07

Offensive or Inappropriate?

   NUCLEAR WASTES!

ATOMIC ENERGY IS A BOMB!

GOT SOLAR?

SHUT 'EM DOWN!
Dave Channon, USA
14/05/2005 at 13:36

Offensive or Inappropriate?

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