Sir, - I feel I must make a number of points regarding the letter from Jack Fitzsimons, MEP (January 20th). During the past 20 years numerous studies have been commissioned in an attempt to link operations at Sellafield to instances of cancer, leukaemia, and other disorders. In every case, these medical conditions have been attributed to other factors. Mr Fitzsimons's statement that radiation in the Irish sea is at a "dangerous" level and that these levels continue to increase is utter nonsense. The deputy chief executive of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland was quoted in a Science Today article (The Irish Times, September 7th, 1998) as saying that that radiation levels "do not pose a significant health risk" and have been dropping steadily. These were not just the opinions of an individual, but conclusions drawn from careful research and hard, scientific evidence.
One of the reasons Irish representatives in Europe failed to halt the construction of the THORP plant was their inability to produce evidence to support any claims they were making. The simple reality is that the plants at Sellafield do not pose a health or safety risk to the Irish public. Although that may not be a popular opinion, it is the only one supported by facts.
Let us please drop the charade that the anti-Sellafield stance held by successive governments has anything to do with noble causes such as "defending public safety". Politicians who bad-mouth Sellafield, spout inaccurate statements and fuel public hysteria ensure that their respective parties will do better at the polls. - Yours, etc., James Fryar,
Warren Green, Baldoyle, Dublin 13