The Department of Infrastructure and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) are being asked to intervene directly in the plans to consider the Newry and south Armagh area as a possible site for the storage of nuclear waste.

The call comes from Workers Party representative Dan Gebski, who says he is amazed that the proposal is even being considered

“The  Mourne mountains and the Ring of Gullion are both officially designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and yet they are being talked about as a possible site for the storage of radio active waste. This is unbelievable”, he said

Non- Starter

“The relevant Departments, Infrastructure and DAERA, must intervene immediately making it absolutely clear to the Radioactive Waste Management Company  RWA that this is a non-starter,” said Dan

“The Departments’ own websites highlight the very special environmental value of this area”, Dan explained. “It is described as ‘ …a unique geological landform, unparalleled elsewhere in Ireland or the UK …..and has been . voted onto the ‘Top 100 Geosites of UK & Ireland’ , Dan added

“In the past six years the Department of Infrastructure has rejected 317 planning applications in the Mourne and Slieve  Gullion areas . They should make it clear from the outset that that they will not even consider an application for an underground radioactive bunker”.

“Preventing this madness from going ahead would be greatly helped if we had a functioning Executive and Assembly and a  Minister to take decisions. This is just one more reason why we need to restore our devolved government”,  concluded Dan.