COUNTRY STATUS REPORT #3: IRELAND
 

HISTORY

Mining
Already by 1949 fairly broad regional surveys had been conducted in a search for uranium deposits. [1]  Through-out the search, the role of the European Community was very important. The EC was looking for deposits in its own area in order to gain as much independence from foreign sources as possible, especially after the US placed a ban in 1977 on exports of enriched uranium because of proliferation politics. [2]  Irish delegate Burke of the Europarliament said in 1977 that surveying for uranium looked successful, and this was followed by a decision by the European Commission to involve Ireland in a European-wide search. [3]  The Irish government and the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) received , 0.5 million for further research and various mining companies began exploration.

In 1979 the Canadian Anglo-United Development Corp, represented by its fully Irish daughter Munster Base Metals Ltd, started with drilling in town, County Donegal. The company got , 1 million in investments from the Northgate mining company, which had a 27% share in Anglo-United. [4]  Vice President McAleer of Northgate Exploration, who was also a member of the Anglo-United board, happened to be the brother-in-law of Irish Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy, O'Malley. [5]

The French company Minatome SA, represented by its fully Irish daughter Maugh Ltd, got a , 400,000 EC grant for drilling in Tullow, County Wicklow. Other companies that did surveys or started drilling included: Argosy Mining Corp (Irl); Irish Base Metals (Irl); Oliver Prospecting and Mining Co Ltd (Irl); and AMAX (US). [6]

All companies drew back from mining in Ireland in the 1980's because of the low market price for uranium and because of local resistance. No mines were opened, only exploration and drilling took place.

Carnsore Point
Although Ireland is a country with no nuclear power plants -- not even research reactors -- in the late 1970's it had big plans for 4 reactors, which were supposed to generate over 100% of its electricity needs. The ESB, which had been established in 1927, came up with a proposal for a , 350 million 650 MW reactor at Carnsore Point, County Wexford, in 1968. The Board was interested in diversification and wanted more different production methods in order to become independent of foreign oil. ESB sent personnel to Europe and the US for research into other reactors. In 1971 the government took the nuclear option under consideration and, a year later, chose Carnsore as the site of its first nuclear plant. Local authorities reacted optimistically, believing such a plant would have positive effects on employment. Even the local tourist industry was optimistic, thinking of tourists coming to fish in the warm cooling water.

However, in 1973 concerned citizens of County Wexford organized the Nuclear Safety Committee (NSC). This was followed by the founding of other groups working for alternative energy. In 1974 the NSC fused with groups like the Irish Farmer Organization to become the Nuclear Safety Association.

By December 1977 it became clear how far the plans had already developed and what the role of the European Commission was as a promoter of nuclear energy. Newspapers reported about the help given or promised by the EC: the supply of uranium, help with waste management and the supply of experienced personnel for starting up the plant. The ESB contracted with Urenco for the supply of enriched uranium, for which it paid , 20,000 in advance. [7]

In 1978 a protest demonstration against the Carnsore program drew 7,000 people. The protestors made clear their objections, but especially ridiculed ESB plans to build four reactors, each with a capacity of 3,000 MW. The total energy needs in 1978 were only 2540 MW. This may have contributed to the decision not to build the Carnsore Point plant at that time. Electricity demand anyway stagnated in the 1980's, and any future plans to build have been totally abandoned.
 

CURRENT SITUATION

Although the government in the seventies was in favor of nuclear power it looks nowadays like it has taken over the ideas of the Anti-Nuclear Movement. From time to time the government makes protests against the United Kingdom's nuclear energy program. The east coast of Ireland is not far from the English west coast, and projects like Sellafield impact on Ireland and make people there fear for the risks.

In 1986 Ireland's then energy minister Spring protested against a leak at the Sellafield reprocessing plant which had resulted in the release of 25,000 liters of waste containing radioactive cesium. [8]

In 1987 energy minister Burke said he wanted the UK to close its aging Magnox reactors and the Sellafield reprocessing plant and place a ban on building new reactors on the west coast. [9]  In 1988 the Dublin County Council objected to the planned Hinkley Point C, only 160 kilometers from Ireland. [10]

In the same year, strong protest arose against plans to conduct an experiment on the 23-year-old Trawsfynydd reactor in Wales. There were plans to stop the reactor and cut off gas coolant to see if the reactor overheated in 8 hours. The European Commission and Irish government both protested against the risky experiment, comparing it with the situation at Chernobyl where cutting off the coolant led to the disaster in 1986. Premier Haughey expressed "grave concern", and Members of Parliament visited a demonstration at the English House of Commons. Finally the experiment was scrapped and it was said that the UK Central Electricity Generating Board was very concerned at the strength of local opposition. In 1991 the reactor was closed when weakened welds were found in the reactor vessel. [11]

In 1991 energy minister Molloy protested against the choice of Sellafield as the site for the final disposal for nuclear waste in the UK. He would rather see reprocessing at Sellafield stopped to end the growing amount of waste. [12]  The same year the Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) expressed concern about the escalation of nuclear activities in the UK. [13]

In 1994 concern surfaced in the city of Dundalk on the Irish Sea, about 100 kilometers from Sellafield. Research showed the unexpected deaths of 18 children and birth defects in 38 children. The mothers were all schoolgirls in Dundalk at the time of the Windscale disaster in 1957. [14]
 

THE IRISH NUCLEAR INDUSTRY

Although Ireland has no nuclear installations or mines, one Irish company involved in the nuclear field needs to be mentioned: the Glencar Exploration plc. In 1990 Glencar got a major stake in the redevelopment of the Pecs uranium mines, in the south of Hungary. Glencar provides management and technical services and later it will manage the mine together with the Hungarian Mecsek Ore Mining Co. The mines have uranium reserves for 10 years use in Hungary. [15]  The surroundings are exposed to radioactive particles, while the two tailings ponds (each 1 square kilometer, containing 24 million tons of waste) are exposed to the wind. [16]

Written by the LAKA Founfation for Steps to a nuclar-free world
15 February 1995