Engineers Ireland

Nuclear power has long been a contentious issue in Ireland with organised opposition existing since the 1970s when ESB proposed a nuclear plant at Carnsore Point. A coal-fired station was built instead in Co Clare, with dramatically increased greenhouse gases being emitted as a result.  In this lecture our three speakers will address the major impacts (both positive and negative) of nuclear power globally and nationally, drawing from a combined wealth of experience in areas such as radiation, health, physics and power generation.  As many believe that nuclear power will eventually form part of the energy solution for Ireland, there is also a brief analysis of what that solution entails, followed by an open forum session with the audience.

 

Our speakers come from BENE (Better Environment with Nuclear Energy), an Irish group that advocates consideration of nuclear power for Ireland.

 

Prof Ian McAulay has a background in health physics and has been extensively involved in measurement of radioactivity in the environment and in radiation protection.  He was heavily involved in the nuclear debate 30 years ago and at that time was one of the Irish scientists trying to correct imbalances in the media coverage.

 

Denis Duff is a Chartered Engineer currently working in the power generation sector.  He has wide experience of different electricity generating systems.  He was the lead engineer of an evaluation project on wind energy converters.  He also commissioned a solid fuel station and is a manager at a combined cycle gas turbine station.

 

Prof Philip Walton has a degree in physics from TCD.  He worked in the Department of Clinical Physics and Bioengineering (WRHB, Glasgow).  In 1968 he joined the Medical College of Virginia, USA, where he was Chairman of the Radiation Physics Division.  In 1978 he was appointed Professor of Applied Physics at NUI Galway.  He retired in 2005 and is now Emeritus Professor.  He served for seven years on the Board of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.  He has served as Radiological Protection Officer both at MCV and NUI Galway.

 

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