Anti-nuclear mindset is costing us dearly

RENOWNED physicist Philip Walton (Letters, June 18) extolled the virtues of nuclear energy and lamented the negative attitude prevalent in Ireland towards its adoption as an alternative to unreliable fossil sources — oil and gas.

James Lovelock, the erstwhile head of the Gaia movement and one-time anti-nuclear proponent, has now come full circle and is advocating the upgrade and building of nuclear power plants in Britain.

Nuclear power generation is an inherently safe process with a well-established safety record apart from the Three Mile Island incident which was contained and led to no deaths, injuries or radiation contamination.

Mainland European countries, notably France, are totally at ease with power generation from nuclear sources.

Why is the mindset in Ireland so anti-nuclear without any defined conviction? Unfortunately, there are people here putting forth nonsense regarding the dangers of the nuclear option.

Ireland is paying dearly for its reliance on imported fossil energy — companies are leaving because of energy costs.

If we had availed of the opportunity to build a nuclear power facility at Carnsore Point in the 1970s, the country today would have total non-reliance on fossil fuels and would not be a hostage to escalating fuel prices

Patrick L O’Brien

Clogheen-Kerry Pike

Cork