New research re-opens Windscale debate
New research on Britain's worst nuclear accident, which occurred in 1957, suggests that radioactive emissions may have reached Ireland's east coast. The fire occurred at the Windscale nuclear facility which has since been renamed as Sellafield. The report raises questions about the high incidence of cancer in areas across northern Europe.Scientists now say it may have caused several dozen more cases of cancer than had previously been estimated. The findings are contained in a study carried out by John Garland, formerly of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and Richard Wakeford, a visiting professor at the University of Manchester.
Dundalk in Co Louth was the nearest Irish town to the the Windscale plant and many believe the area was badly affected by the fire. It has been claimed that a cluster of down syndrome births and cancer cases in the area were caused by radiation. The cancer rate in the area was estimated to be more than 12% above the national average. A group of Louth residents later failed in their attempt to take legal action against British Nuclear Fuels over the incident.