The Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warriorleft Dublin Port this morning to monitor the arrival of the two ships carrying plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) to Sellafield.
The MOX is being returned after British Nuclear Fuels client in Japan refused to take the material when it emerged that safety records had been falsified.
The Rainbow Warriorwas docked in Dublin ahead of the arrival in the Irish Sea of a double shipment of nuclear waste material. It is to be joined in the protest by a flotilla of 10 vessels from Dublin and Arklow.
They will sail to Holyhead in Wales and then along the coast to Scotland where more small boats and yachts will join the protest. They will then attempt to locate the cargo ships, the Pacific Pintailand the Pacific Teal, which are due to arrive in the Irish Sea within teh next few days.
Last week, the Government authorised the Naval Service to shadow the nuclear waste ships once they arrive in Irish territorial waters .
The Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, made a courtesy call to the vessel yesterday. He used the visit to repeat the Government's determination to take legal action aimed at forcing the closure of the nuclear waste complex at Sellafield, Cumbria.
The leader of Fine Gael, Mr Enda Kenny, attended a quayside ceremony marking the departure of the Rainbow Warriorthis morning.