18th September 2001

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY CALLS FOR RENEWED EFFORT TO CLOSE SELLAFIELD IN LIGHT OF AMERICAN TRAGEDY

The Green Party has called for renewed effort by the Irish Government to close Sellafield in the light of the tragedy in the United States last week. Their Dáil candidate in Dún Laoghaire,  Ciarán Cuffe stated that last week’s attacks show that the entire nuclear industry is  more vulnerable than ever before.

“We have always been warned that that nuclear installations could be threatened by terrorism and acts of war” stated Councillor Ciarán Cuffe,  “the unfolding of tragic events last week in Washington, Pennsylvania and New York has shown how vulnerable nuclear power stations can be.

“We must renew our call to the British Government to end its nuclear programme so that  innocent citizens, particularly on the east coast of  Ireland would not be threatened by an attack on the Sellafield plant in Cumbria, or on other nuclear plants.

“A ‘worst-case’ scenario failed to anticipate the catastrophic events of last week’s loss of the World Trade Towers. We must try and reduce similar risks by phasing out the nuclear industry now.

ENDS

Information contact:

Ciarán Cuffe 087 265 2075 or 618 3082

Stephen Rawson, Press Officer 087 235 7551 or 618 4088