Then-taoiseach Bertie Ahern consistently lobbied British prime minister Tony Blair for information about security around the Sellafield nuclear plant amid fears of a terrorist attack on the facility.
A series of letters from Ahern released by the national archives in London show the then taoiseach demanded information from Blair on the vulnerabilities so that Irish authorities could prepare in case of an attack.
His letters came in 2003 and 2004 and referred to the possibility of a terrorist attack on Sellafield, in a similar manner to September 11th and the Madrid train bombings three years later.
The risk of the unintended releases of dangerous radioactive materials from Sellafield had “been greatly magnified” since the September 11th attacks, said Ahern in 2003. He said the situation called for British emergency planning information to be shared with the Irish authorities.
READ MORE
“Given the considerable risks that these facilities pose for our citizens and the environment, I am deeply concerned that the provision of information and co-operation in such a serious matter as this is not as it should be and is deeply deficient,” he wrote to Blair.
The following year, he wrote to say that the terrorist attacks in Madrid had brought “a greater urgency” to his calls for more co-operation in intelligence sharing.
“Clearly, this would have to relate to the nature and scope of potential vulnerabilities, to likely, or possible terrorist threats, the measures anticipated in respect of the same, and, if known, the period or periods within which such threats would be implanted,” Ahern said.
“We need to be in a position to assess risks and to prepare to take all necessary measures to protect our citizens.”
A briefing document to Blair from one of his officials said that giving Ahern the type of detail he wanted would risk “losing control of highly sensitive information”.
“It would not be possible to give the Taoiseach information that would lead him to conclude that there is nothing to worry about,” said the note.
“There are hazards at Sellafield that have the potential, should the worst occur, to cause a release of radioactivity that has the potential to affect Ireland to some extent.
“While security arrangements are robust, there is no way that facilities can be made absolutely safe against a terrorist attack and the process of removing such hazards that exist at Sellafield is one that cannot be accomplished overnight. Accordingly, such a briefing is not likely to result in any reduction in Ireland’s expression of concern about the issue.”
Blair wrote back to Ahern in September 2003 to offer a visit to Sellafield to members of the Garda to review parts of the physical protection of the site.
Following further lobbying by Ahern, Blair wrote in June 2004 that the British would share intelligence if there was a “real threat to Sellafield with implications for Ireland”.
