Republican News · Thursday 25 September 2002

Sinn Féin TD joins anti-nuclear flotilla

Deadly Sellafield shipment is landed

Sinn Féin spokesperson on the Environment and Local Government Arthur Morgan TD was one of those on board the anti-nuclear flotilla that, led by Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior, intercepted two vessels in the Irish Sea carrying nuclear fuel to Sellafield via the port of Barrow-on-Furness.

The British Nuclear Fuels Ltd container ships passed within 30 miles on the Irish coast before reaching port on Tuesday, 17 September.

Speaking from aboard one of the vessels involved in the anti-nuclear flotilla, Morgan called for the organisation of an international alliance of non-nuclear countries, environmentalists and peace activists to step up the campaign to have the global transportation of nuclear fuel ended.

The County Louth Deputy said the Irish Sea protest against the transportation of BNFL's nuclear fuel "has served to highlight in a dramatic way the dangers involved in this practice, but these protests in themselves cannot bring it to an end. We need to build an international alliance of non-nuclear countries who will work with national and international environmental and peace groups to make the extremely dangerous practice impossible.

"I would again like to commend all those involved in organising this flotilla and for the massive support they have recieved from communities along both sides of the Irish Sea.

"The Irish government should use the international goodwill that this protest has generated to initiate dialogue with other non-nuclear countries and environmental groups to establish a broad international coalition against not only the transportation of nuclear fuel but against the industry itself."

Ó Caoláin urges special summit with Blair

Following the arrival at Barrow-in-Furness of the nuclear shipment to Sellafield, Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin has called on the 26-County government to escalate its campaign for the closure of the nuclear waste reprocessing plant.

"This shipment was brought across the world from Japan to Sellafield as a direct result of the falsification of safety records by BNFL," he said. "It was shipped in defiance of the wishes of the Irish government and other governments on its route and of public opinion in Ireland and worldwide.

"The Taoiseach should now call a special summit meeting with the British Prime Minister to deal solely with Sellafield and to increase the pressure for the closure of this plant. The courageous protesters who brought this issue to world attention have shown the way. The Irish government should be no less determined and courageous."