Bishops oppose nuclear power
Monday December 07 2009
The past arrogance of the Irish Catholic bishops, as evidenced in the recent Murphy commission report on child sexual abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin, seems to be still present today.
The Archbishop of Cashel, Most Rev Dermot Clifford, recently denounced the use of nuclear power claiming that 95pc of Irish Catholic bishops are against nuclear energy.
Their opinion is contrary to that held by Pope Benedict XVI, who addressed the International Atomic Energy Agency on July 27 this year in Castel Gandolfo in Italy, saying, "The Holy See, fully approving the goals of this organisation, is a member of it since its founding and continues to support its activity."
He went on to say that to "support the use of peaceful and safe nuclear technology for authentic development, respecting the environment and ever mindful of the most disadvantaged populations, is always more present and urgent."
Cardinal Renato Martino, the Pope's justice minister, later told Vatican Radio that nuclear power should be considered a useful energy source, criticising countries like Italy which prohibited nuclear technology on principle.
This is a direct criticism of Ireland as we have outlawed nuclear generation in Ireland, unlike Italy which has since repealed its ban on nuclear.
If we are to combat climate change while maintaining affordable energy, we will need to increase energy efficiency and renewables, but we will also need nuclear power.
An increasing number of sensible nations has discovered this and so should Ireland before it is too late.
Denis Duff
Greystones, Co Wicklow
Irish Independent
