Nuclear power is the cleanest, safest, most secure and most abundant source of energy available today. It is also the most economic and reliable. There is enough nuclear fuel to meet all of humanities needs for the foreseeable future. In addition when used to produce hydrogen, nuclear energy can meet all our transport and heating requirements.

We need to go nuclear because burning fossil fuels, poisons our atmosphere with toxic pollution and contributes to climate change. It is also an irresponsible waste of scarce natural resources, which should be conserved for use as chemical feedstocks for future generations.

Nuclear energy is used to supply over 60% of the world's population with electricity. Western civilian nuclear power is a proven technology which has been in operation over 50 years without a single fatality. To put that safety record into perspective, in the same period there were more than 3 million road and 25 million smoking related deaths in Europe. Compared to 1956, the average European uses 6 times more electricity and can expect to live 10 years longer. People without access to electricity can expect to live 30 years less than Europeans.

We in BENE believe that if the Irish people were properly informed on the risks and rewards of nuclear, communities would be competing to have a plant in their locality. If we do go nuclear we will reduce our carbon output, to levels below what we are allowed under the Kyoto agreement. So instead of having to pay €270 million annually in fines, we could receive €500 million in payment for our surplus, which would pay for the nuclear fleet within 10 years.

It is important that we have an informed debate on nuclear energy, our children's future is dependent on it.