Irish protesters, including Trevor Sargent TD of the Green Party, held a protest at the main gate of the Cumbria plant yesterday morning to launch the beginning of a new Irish anti Sellafield campaign. And returned home to day to find that our government had launched a shut down Sellafield ad campaign.
"Yesterday was about raising awareness of this issue and it is great that Fianna Fail is also working toward this goal, but I hope it is not just an electoral ploy," said Gluaiseacht spokesman Barry O Dunavan.
The group plan to return to Sellafield on December 20th, and will also carry out weekly awareness demonstrations in all major towns and cities in Ireland. These will begin tomorrow at 4pm and the Dublin demo will be attended by folk singer Christy Moore, who has actively campaigned against nuclear energy in the past.
A petition of 5000 signatures collected in one weekend in Limerick was brought to show BNFL but they refused to recieve it.
They feel British public appears to be largely unaware of just how much anti-nuclear sentiment exists in Ireland and the protesters feel it is neccesary to show them. Even if our government actions prove to be merely an electoral stunt, they say this campaign is here to stay.