WICKLOW GREENS WILL ACCOMPANY SARGENT ON NEXT VISIT TO SELLAFIELD

According to the Wicklow Greens, Mr. Sargent, who travelled to Sellafield with 50 protesters from the Irish environmental campaign group, Gluaiseacht, staged a peaceful protest outside the gates of the nuclear plant on Friday but was refused a meeting with Sellafield representatives.

Green Party councillor, Deirdre de Burca said "The Irish group, led by Trevor Sargent, went to Sellafield hold a peaceful protest and to hand in a 5000 signature petition. The British Nuclear Fuels management not only refused to meet with the group, but it also refused to accept the 5,000 Irish signature petition collected by Gluaiseacht calling for the cessation of Sellafield's nuclear reprocessing operations. For a company which claims to be open and transparent, this is extraordinary behaviour. BNFL has also refused media interviews with the BBC and ITN following the group's protests."

According to councillor de Burca, Mr. Sargent,had hoped to present the Green Party's new proposals to change the plant from nuclear reprocessing to nuclear clean-up. However, she claims that his visit was not in vain as it serves to highlight to the people of Cumbria and the UK how concerned the Irish people are, following the announcement that the new MOX plant is to open.

The Green Party's proposal for Sellafield is for a "Grand Bargain" in which nuclear reprocessing would cease while BNFL embark on a major new programme of nuclear clean-up. "This Bargain could serve Ireland's interests in two major ways" according to de Burca "it would achieve Ireland's longstanding objective of ending reprocessing at Sellafield thereby complying with the OSPAR goal of zero emissions and it would remove the threat to international security posed by terrorist attack. For Sellafield workers the Grand Bargain would guarantee that the workforce continues in employment and ensure that the British Government will not have to announce major job losses".

The Wicklow Greens are planning the next visit to Sellafield in mid- December and hope to encourage any interested parties to accompany them.

For further information please contact Deirdre de Burca on 086 8061450 or email deburca@wicklowgreens.org.