Sellafield leak doesn't affect Ireland - Govt

The Government insists the latest radioactive leak at Sellafield has no implications for Ireland.

Twenty tonnes of spent fuel leaked from pipes into a steel container three weeks ago, the scale of which is only becoming apparent now.

The highly radioactive leak has forced the closure of Sellafield's multi-billion euro reprocessing plant.

It is reportedly half the volume of an Olympic-sized swimming pool and is too radioactive for staff to enter.

The plutonium content is estimated to be enough for 20 nuclear weapons.