A report commissioned by the Irish Government has concluded there is no health risk from radioactive material dumped in the Irish Sea over a period of 30 years.

A taskforce was set up by Irish Marine Minister Michael Woods following indications in official British documents that waste materials were left at the bottom of the sea between the 1940s and 1976.

But the report concluded that the material had not generated a high risk for either human health or marine life.

It stated that fish caught in the Irish Sea should be safe to eat.

And it said there was no danger to those using the sea for swimming and other watersports.

The report has been branded "a political face-saving exercise" by Ireland's Green Party.

Assessment of the effects

But Mr Woods said: "It allays genuine public anxiety about past radioactive dumping and is also a critical up-to-date assessment of its effects on public health and the marine environment - as well as being an important benchmark for the future."

The minister said dumping, of the type investigated by the task force, had now ceased. He stressed, however, the Irish Government's determination "to remain ever-vigilant in the protection of our marine environment should new information emerge.

"In that sense this report is an important part of our constant responsibility to protect and safeguard the marine environment."

Mr Woods also highlighted Dublin's intention to maintain Ireland's "strong position" at international level to eliminate continuing discharges of nuclear waste.

Much of the radioactive waste has come from the Sellafield plant in Cumbria but there was also dumping in the Beaufort Dyke in the north Irish Sea during the 1950's.

Environmental groups have been concerned about the level of radioactivity in the Irish Sea and have said the report is no comfort.

Cautious welcome

South Down SDLP MP Eddie McGrady has given it a cautious welcome.

"This is a reassurance to the general public. But this aspect of the statement must be taken together with some of the report's conclusions and warnings.

"Such warnings indicate, for instance, that great caution must be taken in carrying out any works that might disturb the seabed where it is known that radioactive waste is dumped.

"More importantly, I am concerned that the Department of the Marine's report is somewhat premature in that the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, London, promised to review its own historic records and files some time ago, with particular reference to the dumping of munitions and other radioactive and toxic waste at the Beaufort Dyke in the North Channel, and so far they have not yet reported."