A major public meeting is to be held in Co Louth this week to assess the implications of any threat to public health and safety from the British Nuclear Fuels plant in Sellafield.
BNFL has accepted an invitation from local authorities in Co Louth to address safety concerns at a public meeting in Castlebellingham on Friday.
According to senior BNFL officials, the meeting follows a long-standing request from councillors in Co Louth, and is seen as a milestone in engaging in dialogue on nuclear issues.
The BNFL presentation will centre on the future of Sellafield, safety at the plant, meeting the challenges of discharges and the implications for health.
The meeting is to be chaired by the chairman of Louth County Council, Mr Nicholas McCabe. He said yesterday "very sensitive issues" for all who live along the north-east coast would be under the spotlight during the debate with local public representatives.
The meeting follows several requests made during the past three years by Leinster Fianna Fáil MEP Mr Jim Fitzsimons at the European Parliament. He has asked for restrictions to be imposed on BNFL, forcing an eventual closure of the plant.
BNFL will be represented at Friday's meeting by Mr John Clarke, head of safety environment and quality at Sellafield; Dr Rex Strong, head of environmental management; and Dr Richard Wakeford, BNFL principal research scientist.