State demands Sellafield reports from Britain

THE Government begins legal action today to demand full disclosure by Britain of top secret documents on the Sellafield nuclear fuel manufacturing plant.

In a landmark challenge at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands, Ireland is to argue the documents are essential in assessing the safety and economic rationale of the MOX nuclear fuel manufacturing plant at Sellafield.

The Government is opposed to operation of the plant, located just across the Irish Sea in Cumbria, as it fears any nuclear fall-out from it will devastate Ireland.