MEP for Dublin, Barry Andrews, has expressed his unease with a threat posed by the Sellafield nuclear plant in the UK. The nuclear facility, which started operating in 2001, is located less than 100 miles off the east coast of Dublin. On Monday 11th December at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEP Andrews called on the EU Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, to use her office to engage with UK counterparts and address the alarming findings reported recently in The Guardian newspaper recently.
The investigation by The Guardian uncovered a myriad of issues, including cyber-attacks, vulnerability to sleeper malware, and a toxic workplace culture. The year-long probe emphasised the potential for “potentially significant consequences” if these problems persist.
During his contribution, MEP Andrews said: “Sellafield, Europe’s most hazardous nuclear site, holds 140 tons of plutoniumposing a significant threat to Ireland’s safety. Daily, a staggering 2.3 cubic meters of radioactive sludge seeps into the ground, prompting concerns over potential far-reaching consequences.” Expressing his concern, MEP Andrews continued: “Ireland is facing a potentially catastrophic environmental crisis right on its doorstep. Given the substantial amount and type of radioactive materials, both the Government of Ireland and the European Union should be deeply alarmed by the reports of the deteriorating infrastructure. A catastrophic failure in infrastructure could have a devastating impact on Ireland and the Irish Sea, placing the people of Ireland directly in danger.”
MEP Andrews referred to a 2001 European Parliament report, warning of a Sellafield accident potentially surpassing Chernobyl, exposing five million Europeans to radiation. The Irish Sea, now deemed the most radioactively contaminated globally by Greenpeace, amplifies the gravity of the situation. MEP Andrews also raised concerns about security issues at Sellafield, where cyber groups linked to Russia and China have hacked into the facility. The Guardian’s investigation uncovered a consistent cover-up by senior staff regarding this disclosure and its potential effects. Sleeper malware, detected as early as 2015, poses an ongoing threat, potentially compromising sensitive activities at Sellafield.
Reflecting on the broader implications, Andrews stated, “This goes beyond the immediate threat to Ireland; it’s a matter of international security. If the information obtained in these cyber-attacks were used in an attack on the UK, Ireland could also become an unintended victim. We cannot underestimate the gravity of the situation.”
In light of these pressing issues, Andrews called for swift international action. “The urgency cannot be overstated. We need the European Commission for Energy, Kadri Simson, to collaborate with international partners and address this environmental and security threat head-on,” concluded Andrews.
