8:15am UK, Tuesday June 10, 2003

A fresh legal bid to close down Sellafield's nuclear reprocessing plant over claims that it is polluting the Irish Sea has been launched by the Irish government.

Irish environment minister Martin Cullen said the action was one of the most significant cases the Irish Republic has ever taken.

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Fears Sellafield polluting Irish Sea

Ministers are taking the UK to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

They are concerned that radioactive discharge from the Cumbrian site is polluting into the Irish Sea.

Mr Cullen said: "These cases are among the most significant legal actions ever taken by Ireland.

"They represent the Irish government's absolute commitment to ensuring that Ireland's rights under these international conventions in relation to Sellafield and its operations are fully vindicated."

He said there were several worrying issues, including claims of pollution from the discharge of radioactive waste from the MOX plant into the Irish Sea.

Mr Cullen also expressed concern at the "inadequacy" of the environmental assessment undertaken by the UK in relation to the facility and the failure to properly assess the risk of terrorist attack on the site.

The hearings will take place before a five-member tribunal.

They will proceed for around three weeks and will be open to the public with some exceptions where material being referred to is of a confidential nature.

Attorney General Rory Brady will lead the Irish legal team and will make the opening statement to the tribunal.

The British team is expected to argue that the court does not have jurisdiction over Sellafield.