THE Government is assessing the provisions of the OSPAR Convention to see if it can be used by the State to mount a challenge against the operation of Sellafield.
The convention is aimed at the protection of the North-East Atlantic, including all Irish coastal and marine water. The Minister for the Environment, Mr Howl in, told TDs the Government pressed strongly for a permanent ban on dumping radioactive substances and waste during the negotiations on the OSPAR Convention.
He added that because of Ireland's negotiations, a ban on the dumping of low and intermediate level radioactive materials was introduced for the first time.
He told TDs "the governments of countries which have reprocessing agreements with Sellafield have been fully apprised of our position and our concerns about risks associated with the transport of radioactive materials by sea".
"We have actively addressed, through the International Maritime Organisation, the issues of safeguards, controls and procedures applying to such shipments," the Minister added.
Members of the House ratified the convention unanimously. Because of Ireland's position, the Minister said, negotiators introduced for the first time a ban on the dumping of low and intermediate level radioactive materials.
OSPAR is a new convention which provides a stricter and more comprehensive environmental protection regime than its predecessors, the Paris and Oslo conventions, and will probably come into force later this year.
Under the new convention, ratifying countries are required to take all possible steps to prevent and eliminate pollution of the northeast Atlantic.
Mr Howlin said Ireland's coastal and marine waters were generally of a "high quality", but pressures were evident in some areas with localised pollution conditions due mainly to sewage and industrial discharges.
"These problems will be addressed through a combination of strict environmental regulation and continued investment in coastal sewage treatment facilities."
The Progressive Democrats spokeswoman on the environment, Ms Mairin Quill, said if Ireland was to deal effectively with Sellafield the State must involve international organisations and the case must be argued at EU level.
The Minister of State for the Marine, Mr Eamon Gilmore, said the convention represented "decisive and strong action on the part of the international community in protecting the marine environment.
The protection of this valuable marine resource is one of this Government's key objectives."
Mr Gilmore added "the Government is anxious to ratify the convention as soon as possible. It is essential that we as a nation are not seen to be behind in ratifying it".