Ireland is seeking assurances about the structural safety of buildings at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing complex on England's northwest coast, Irish Environment Minister Martin Cullen said Monday."I believe that the intrinsic risks posed by the operations at Sellafield are being increased by the age, structural deterioration, outdated construction and other methods employed in the older buildings on site," Cullen said in a statement issued in Dublin.
Cullen said he had raised fears at meetings earlier Monday in London with his British counterpart Margaret Beckett, about the structural stability of the roof of a building being used to store a waste product known as MAC -- medium active concentrate.
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern's coalition government has wider concerns about the discharge of radioactive waste from the MOX (mixed plutonium and uranium oxide) treatment plant at Sellafield.
Ahern is strongly opposed to Sellafield and wants the whole complex -- just across the Irish Sea from Dublin and the populous east coast -- shut down.
Britain is vigorously fighting the case, claiming the MOX plant does not generate any significant radioactive waste.
Cullen said Monday there was no justification -- economic or environmental -- for the continuation of operations at Sellafield.
"The potential for damage to both the Irish people and our environment from an accident or incident at the site is ever present," Cullen said.
"On this basis, Ireland has and will continue by word and deed to take all necessary steps to ensure that Sellafield ceases to pose a threat to Ireland's environment and its people."
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