Roche welcomes improved access to Sellafield information

Environment Minister Dick Roche has welcomed an improvement in the level of information being provided to the Irish Government in relation to the Sellafield nuclear plant.

Speaking at a meeting of the British-Irish Council's environment committee in Dublin today, Mr Roche said a recent agreement had given Irish officials greater access to sensitive information.

However, he said the Irish Government was still pushing for the closure of Sellafield.

"The fact that we have information is very, very good," he said. "But of course it doesn't satisy our position that we do not see that logically there's a future for this installation.

"In fact, in terms of the relationship between the two islands, we feel that the best approach would be closure."