Since the fire at the then Windscale nuclear plant in October 1957, there have been calls from the people of Co Louth for BNFL to close down its operations on the other side of the Irish Sea, a mere 100 miles away.
The Windscale fire, and the subsequent radiation which affected Co Louth, has been associated with medical conditions, including miscarriages, which were suffered by teenage girls living in Dundalk.
Five years ago, when the THORP reprocessing facility was being proposed, four Louth residents stood up at a public meeting and volunteered to be named as plaintiffs in a legal action against BNFL.
The campaign's objective was to close the entire operation at Sellafield.
They said they were prepared to fight for something they felt politicians had failed to address.
The four are: Ms Constance Short, an artist; Mr Mark Deery, a farmer; Ms Mary Cavanagh, a teacher; and a businessman, Mr Ollan Herr.
While the four do not speak to the media, as the litigation is under way, their solicitor, Mr James MacGuil, believes that a full hearing of the case is likely in 18 months.
He feels the pace of proceedings is quickening as a result of the recent reports on falsification of data.
The support group for the four, STAD (Stop THORP Alliance Dundalk), said it was not surprised at the falsification and was "delighted" that it was now officially recognised. "STAD has always held the belief that deliberate misinformation was given by BNFL.
"This report further reinforces the belief and highlights the need for the four Co Louth residents to get complete and comprehensive disclosure of all BNFL records and data, both past and present."
STAD has repeatedly called on the Government to acknowledge, support and fully fund the case.
"It is a fact that every single month 13 people die in Co Louth from cancer and the National Cancer Registry substantiates that the cancer rate in Louth continually runs 14 per cent above the national average," according to Mr Arthur Morgan, a member of Louth County Council. He has been persistent in his criticism of BNFL and the demand for Sellafield to close.
Last week, he visited villages around the plant but not the plant. "The public are welcome to tour the plant but I am not impressed by shiny buildings. I am interested in the poison flowing from them."
Mr Morgan is also a member of Sinn Fein's ardcomhairle and a founder of the Cooley Environmental and Health Group (CEHG), which wants Sellafield closed.
However, the chairman of Louth County Council, Mr Peter Savage, who lives in Greenore on the Cooley Peninsula and is a member of the North-Eastern Health Board, said that in the last 10 years only five people had raised concerns about Sellafield with him. "But people are concerned that another Chernobyl would happen."