The Government has been forced to change its position on the funding of the Louth residents' group in its legal action against Sellafield. Following a threat from Independent deputies not to support it, the coalition yesterday took the unusual step of accepting a Fine Gael motion to "urgently support" the legal case of the Stop Thorp Alliance Dundalk (STAD) against British Nuclear Fuels. STAD last night accused the Government of a "political sleight of hand" in order to avoid a Dail defeat on the issue.
The Independent Wicklow deputy, Ms Mildred Fox, and the Socialist Party TD, Mr Joe Higgins, warned that they would support the Opposition, while other Independent TDs, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae and Mr Harry Blaney, said they wanted to support the residents. The Sinn Fein TD, Mr Caoimhin O Caolain, is also opposed the Government's position on the financial assistance to the Louth residents.
However, after accepting the motion last night to provide the necessary financial assistance towards research and legal costs, the Minister for Public Enterprise and Ms Fox's constituency colleague, Mr Joe Jacob, gave no monetary commitment and said merely that he hoped to arrange a meeting with the residents.
Mr James MacGuill, a solicitor and spokesman for the residents, later accused the Government of acting only to avoid a Dail defeat and of refusing to "embrace the spirit of the motion".
The Fine Gael spokesman on public enterprise, Mr Ivan Yates, who tabled the motion, criticised the Government for engaging in a "double deception". It had accepted the motion, but had given no indication of helping the residents and, under Dail regulations, he would be unable to retable the motion for another six months.
The decision to table the motion was sparked last week when Mr Jacob offered the anti-Sellafield activists £200,000 for research purposes. Attached to the "full and final settlement" offer was a condition that the plaintiffs drop their action against the State. The residents won the right in the Supreme Court to pursue an action against the Irish Government as well as BNFL.
However, the residents angrily rejected the £200,000 offer. The Cabinet considered the matter yesterday and the Government later indicated it would accept the Fine Gael motion.
Speaking on the motion last night, Mr Jacob told the Dail that the Government, "because of their wish to be as helpful and co-operative as possible to the residents", had asked him to initiate further discussions with the residents about the appropriate level of support.
In its pre-election environmental position paper, published last April, Fianna Fail pledged itself to fully fund the anti-Sellafield activists.
In spite of residents' annoyance with the Government, Ms Fox expressed confidence last night that adequate financial assistance would be forthcoming from the Government.