The Green Party has said the fatal nuclear accident in Japan is a "wake-up call" for the Irish Government, which it said was not pursuing the closure of the Sellafield nuclear plant with the necessary vigour.
"The Irish population is a sitting duck should a nuclear accident happen at Sellafield," the party's deputy leader Ms Mary White said.
Green Party deputy leader Ms Mary White
"Japan's nuclear accident has once more highlighted the threat to the Irish people and the Irish environment from an accident at Sellafield."
"A devastating internal European Commission report (March 2004) on Sellafield has already highlighted the dangers of the on-site B30 pond which holds an estimated 1.3 tonnes of waste under water. The added threat of a possible terrorist attack on the site makes it imperative that the plant be closed," she said.
"The Euratom Treaty must also be scrapped because it supports the nuclear industry and diverts EU funding towards it rather than towards renewable energy."
Ms White said the Government was not prepared to pursue the Sellafield closure with the vigour which is required, despite the fact that the Irish people and the environment were "sitting ducks" should a nuclear accident happen at the plant, which is less than 60 miles from the east coast of Ireland.
The Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, has however defended the Government's record on Sellafield in the past and has said he will pursue action to have the plant closed.