The nuclear industry has tried to convince the public that the only lesson that can be learned from the radioactive incident at Fukushima is about the dangers of building nuclear sites near seismic fault lines. This is a dangerous minimisation of reality.
The real lesson from Fukushima is that, even in democratic countries with well-developed economies, governments and ministers are not good at understanding or mitigating the inherent risks associated with nuclear energy. The lesson is not simply that Fukushima was a dangerous place to build a nuclear power station. The lesson is that, even in a country like Japan, the nuclear industry and government ministers allowed such a fundamentally flawed and risk-prone nuclear site to be constructed.
This was brought home to me last year when I met with Naota Kan, who was prime minister of Japan during the Fukushima crisis. Mr Kan, who prior to the Fukushima crisis had been pro-nuclear, told me of the shock of seeing the map of areas that would be affected by the radiation leak, and it was only this experience that could really convey the true risks of nuclear power.
Those who think that decision makers in Britain could never fall victim to the same hubris and disregard for safety need only look at the government’s response to the safety hazards at Sellafield unveiled by the BBC’s Panorama programme in September. A whistleblower contacted Panorama disclosing their fears over the storage of nuclear waste in the ageing facility at Sellafield, including the storage of nuclear material in degrading plastic bottles.
In response, the British Government and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority simply closed their doors to any real questioning, with the minister responsible denying in the Commons that the whistleblower’s report was anything to be concerned about. The pattern was regrettably familiar to those of us who have campaigned on nuclear safety for many years – genuine concerns were raised, but then dismissed by government and industry with no real answers given.
This encapsulates why I and so many others are opposed to nuclear energy and instead support investment in genuine renewables
like wind, tidal and solar. Not because we distrust the science, as the nuclear industry would claim, but because we distrust the man-made political and legal systems designed to protect civilians from the enormous potential harm of nuclear incidents.
That was why I believe the Economic and Social Research Institute’s report on the impact a nuclear accident would have on Ireland is vital reading for anyone who is in any responsible for the nuclear site at Sellafield.
MARGARET RITCHIE MP
SDLP, South Down
Ireland should not campaign to change pro-life laws
As a pro-life supporter I took issue with the language used in the report (December 13) of the three Derry women praised by Foreign Policy magazine for trying to change the abortion laws here, until I decided to subvert it, and that was when the scales fell from my eyes.
Firstly, the ladies committed a ‘righteous crime’. But yet a law was broken – are the perpetrators now to be praised? Then there was talk of the ‘breach of women and girls’ rights’, but no mention of the rights of the beautiful unborn child, with its beating heart, developing nervous system, and DNA present from the moment of conception.
It was implied that abortion ‘can ease the suffering of others.’ The magazine clearly has not done its research on this aspect of a surgical procedure which not only kills an innocent, defenceless child, but in many recorded cases hurts the mother, father and abortionist mentally and physically.
Also, the ladies’ action was seen as a solution – a solution, mind – to a social, economic and environmental problem otherwise known as a pregnancy; and I don’t need to comment on the lie that public opinion here has moved to support abortion law reform – the recent controversy over the Amnesty International opinion poll exposed that myth.
I hope and pray that our politicians north and south will find the courage to stand up for the lives of both mother and unborn child, and reflect pro-life attitudes in their daily work, especially when it comes to the vicious, almost now hysterically vicious, campaign to change our pro-life laws on both sides of the border. Let Ireland shine as a beacon of hope, light and love to the rest of the world in this matter.
JOHAN AUSTIN
Limavady, Co Derry
Bellaghy being left behind in mobile phone era
Bellaghy village and surrounding areas have been left behind in the hi-tech mobile phone era.
I have been contacted by several business people who are suffering great losses to their valued customers who cannot contact them at any time in Bellaghy.
One business owner contacted me in despair as he employs 10 people and has lost a large contract due to this fiasco. He claims that if this is not sorted as a matter of extreme urgency jobs are at risk at his factory.
I conducted a tour of several premises with a local news reporter and all told the same story – work is being lost and no-one is taking their concerns on board.
As a business man I feel it is my duty to speak out on their behalf. To my utter disbelief I have been told that the new phone mast site has been sorted but some people have objected and planning has been halted. I call on the planners and local councillors to do more to get this mast erected as soon as possible.
We must be the laughing stock of Ireland that we spent more than £4m on the Heaney Centre that planners had no problem passing but a phone mast that 99 per cent of the people want is held up by a few who refuse to let Bellaghy shine.
SEAN CAHIR SCULLION
Bellaghy, Co Derry
Unthinking award winners
The Irish News article (December 12) on the three women who received praise as “global thinkers” for their abortion activities, from American magazine Foreign Policy is a real no-brainer. That they would supply dangerous substances without medical advice shows how unthinking the pro-abortion lobby really is. Given that this also took place so close to the Feast of Christmas is equally troubling. Maybe these three ladies should take a look at the Frankie Goes to Hollywood 1984 Christmas hit The Power of Love and do some thinking on the real truth of their actions to the many women and men that won’t have a life. Likewise, they should also give some rational and cognative exercise to the truth that we all, including them, will have to give an answer to Him, the Christmas Baby, for all of our actions one day. Do that and then they will become real thinkers.
JDP McALLION
Derrytresk, Co Tyrone
Voting not a symptom of xenophobia
Mr Cullinane (December 9) states that the Brexit and Trump vote in 2016 point to xenophobia and the detestation of different ethnicities. I would wholeheartedly disagree.
I’m sure there are people out there who feel this way but the vast majority of the people in UK and US voted ‘populist’ because of massive changes to their culture and way of life.
Is Mr Cullinane aware that the UK Office of National Statistics states that the indigenous English white population of England will become the ‘majority minority’ in their own country in a matter of just a few years?
It is not xenophobic to be concerned about such a huge change these people see around them.
M CAIRNS
Belfast BT15
