Environmental Pillar

Lobbying Organisation Environmental Pillar

Date published 16 Jan, 2018

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Environment

Period 1 Sep, 2017 to 31 Dec, 2017

Specific Details failure to consult the Irish public re Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Plant

Intended results Meeting with Minister's Naughten and Murphy and officials early in the coming week and answers to the questions laid out in the more detailed attached letter, as a matter of urgency, to see if the current situation can be rescued.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Michael Ewing

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Email (1)

Cc: An Taoiseach, Minister Coveney Dear Ministers Naughten and Murphy It is estimated by the ERSI, that in the case of a nuclear accident in north west Europe, the damage to Ireland’s economy would be in the region of €181 billion. The costs to human life and well being are incalculable. Despite this the evidence would suggest that the Irish Government has failed to allow the Irish public the opportunity afforded to it by the UK Government to voice its concerns over one such potential threat. The Environmental Pillar has learned in the last 48 hours that, despite receiving a letter from the UK Government, in July this year, inviting the Irish Government to facilitate Irish citizens to comment on the Development of the Hinkley C Nuclear Power Plant in Somerset, England, the Irish Government failed to act. It would appear that the time remaining in which Irish citizens could be facilitated is just 5 working days. Whilst the UK, albeit belatedly and retrospectively, has fulfilled

Letter (1)

I am writing as a matter of GREAT URGENCY on behalf of the Environmental Pillar. This is in relation to the July 28th notification to Ireland of consultation re the UK’s planned development of Hinkley Point C, “HPC”, Nuclear Power Plant, and which appears to be due to complete next Friday October 20th 2017. We have just learned of this through a recently circulated report1 from the Espoo Implementation Committee, “EIC”. We wish to express our gravest concern regarding what appears to be a failure, by Ireland in particular, to provide for public participation in relation to this consultation. We hope this letter provides for an opportunity for both clarification and a constructive way forward in the interests of Ireland, its public, our environment and economy in relation to this matter. In this regard we are requesting responses to the points raised in Annex I to this letter by close of business on Monday 16th October. We are addressing this issue to you both as the focal points for th

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Leo Varadkar Taoiseach (Department of the Taoiseach)

Simon Coveney Minister (Department of Foreign Affairs)

Denis Naughten Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Eoghan Murphy Minister (Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government)