Greenpeace welcomes decision to monitor nuclear shipment

Greenpeace has welcomed the Government’s decision to send the navy and the air corps to monitor a nuclear shipment due to pass through the Irish Sea this month.

The shipment of plutonium was originally sent from Sellafield to Japan, but the Japanese authorities sent it back after British Nuclear Fuels, the company which runs Sellafield, admitted falsifying safety data.

The Government had previously ruled out sending the navy to monitor the shipment, but the Department of Defence said today that Irish patrol ships and reconnaissance aircraft will follow the five-tonne cargo through the Irish Sea.

Greenpeace spokesman John Bowler said the decision is recognition that the plutonium poses a security risk.

"That danger is borne out by the fact that both of the ships coming up are armed, they have 30mm cannon on board, plus armed police on board, so there is a great security risk and we are very delighted that the Government also recognises that threat," he said.