National radioactive waste facility to be set up

Work on plans for the construction of a national radioactive waste storage facility is to get under way in the new year.

The Department of the Environment said a steering group would be established shortly to come up with criteria for the design of the facility and the factors that should influence its location.

The move follows pressure from the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) which has concerns about the way radioactive waste is stored in a mix of private and public settings.