Three TDs are to request a meeting with British government officials to raise their concerns over safety measures at the Sellafield nuclear power plant, it emerged tonight.
The three were part of a delegation from the British-Irish parliamentary body that visited Sellafield in north-west England today on a fact-finding mission.
The trip was planned amid fears the site produced radioactive pollution and that nuclear waste was a potential terrorist target.
The delegation included Fianna Fáil's Ms Marian McGennis and Mr Conor Lenihan; Fine Gael's Mr Brian Hayes along with British Labour members Mr Kevin McNamara; Ms Jean Corston; and Mr Jeff Ennis.
The trip was planned after a summit of the British-Irish inter parliamentary body in Bournemouth in December.
After a tour of the site and discussions with management Mr Lenihan said tonight: "We would require more reassurance that this is a secure site in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
"We would want further discussions and meetings with British Government officials with regard to the specific issues which we have raised with the management."
Mr Hayes said the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland should be allowed to make an inspection of the site.
While Ms McGennis said: "Ultimately what we want to achieve, and certainly what the Irish people want to see, is the cessation of the operations at Sellafield."
Mr Norman Askew, the Chief Executive of British Nuclear Fuels LTD, which operates Sellafield, tonight defended the plant.
He told RTE News: "There are a number of structures on this site and those (MOX) structures are the most robust." But he could not discuss exact details regarding security measures at Sellafield.
PA