The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) of the International Atomic Energy Agency recently concluded a 10-day mission to Ireland to assess the nation’s nuclear regulatory framework.
Overall, the team of international experts reviewed Ireland’s regulatory bodies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Service Executive (HSE). Among the positive notes, the team said the EPA’s radiological safety inspection activities corresponded with international standards and that they provide transparency. The team also said emergency plans are integrated into major emergency management frameworks.
Ireland’s ability to apply for radiological licenses on a web-based platform also received praise form the IRRS.
“Our counterparts demonstrated their commitment to openness and transparency throughout the mission,” IRRS team leader and French Nuclear Safety Authority
Commissioner Margot Tirmarche said. “The results of the mission will help the Irish government to prioritize future actions to achieve its goals in relation to radiation safety.”
The team made recommendations for the regulators that would allow them to improve their services and regulatory capabilities. This included the development of a framework for regulating patient protection and the establishment of an entity to oversee patient protection that is independent of any medical radiation treatment activity.
They also suggested that radioactive waste regulatory frameworks should have predisposal management and decommissioning included as complementary additions to current practices.
