[article]Dick Roach bans nuclear explosions in Ireland!

mike65

from indo

IRELAND began to ban the detonation of nuclear devices within the national territory last night, which will make nuclear terrorism a crime here.

The Nuclear Test Ban Bill 2006 began its second stage in the Dail, with Environment Minister Dick Roche saying that while some aspects of the legislation would strike TDs as "a little odd", it would transpose a UN treaty into Irish law.

This would give this country a moral voice in calling on other nations to live up to their nuclear obligations.

The legislation makes it illegal to carry out a nuclear act within the State.

The provisions also make it an offence here for an Irish citizen to carry out or to cause to be carried out, a nuclear explosion elsewhere on the planet or in space.

The legislation further allows inspectors to enter any premises and to make any seizures as required. Building or detonating a nuclear device will be an indictable offence, punishable by terms including imprisonment for life.

Yet the Bill also provides for the District Court to try a person summarily, where the DPP may take the view that it constitutes a "minor" offence.

The Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was opened for signature in 1996, and has not yet come into force.

I'm sure you're feeling safer already. I know I am.

Mike.

flogen

Thank fook for that; I was getting really freaked about the fact that anyone in Ireland could have gone nuts with their nuclear war-heads and there'd be nothing we could do about it.

Better tell Jimmy down the road to pack it in now, otherwise he'd be a criminal...

Macker

Maybe it's time for a nuclear warhead amnesty

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

god damnit, when will people learn that prohibition just does not work.

mike65

I'm expecting an outbreak of under the table warhead trading in west Dublin pubs.

Mike.

bonkey

The legislation makes it illegal to carry out a nuclear act within the State.

WTF is "a nuclear act" ??? Is it, like, a logical subdividsion of a nuclear play? A collection of nuclear scenes?

The provisions also make it an offence here for an Irish citizen to carry out or to cause to be carried out, a nuclear explosion elsewhere on the planet or in space.

Interesting. Guess that means if the US revives its own nuclear testing (smoething which raises its head now and then in terms of super-bunker-busters and so-called battlefield-nukes, it would be illegal for an irish scientist to have anything to do with the program.

Building or detonating a nuclear device will be an indictable offence, punishable by terms including imprisonment for life.

As with "act" above.....WTF is a nuclear device??? A nuclear reactor is a nuclear device, as arguably are a hell of a lot of other things.

Don't some of the universities have micro-reactors? Are they now illegal, or is it okay to own one as lnog as you didn't build it and don't blow it up.

But yes...I feel much safer knowing that setting off a nuclear explosion is now a crime.

Manic Moran

Interesting. Guess that means if the US revives its own nuclear testing (smoething which raises its head now and then in terms of super-bunker-busters and so-called battlefield-nukes, it would be illegal for an irish scientist to have anything to do with the program.

Is that actually a legal/enforceable prohibition? Basically extending Irish sovereignty into other countries without asking them? Are the similar laws against any other act, such as going to Holland to smoke pot, or Thailand for the sex acts not permissable in Ireland? And what if there's this great big feck-off asteroid coming to hit us, and we need to nuke it to save ourselves?

A town in California has a $500 fine for setting off a nuclear device within city limits. That'll show them.

NTM

mike65

And what if there's this great big feck-off asteroid coming to hit us, and we need to nuke it to save ourselves?

Ah now, I was waiting for someone to invoke the 'Asteroid Defence' position.
It seems anything can be justified if it'll stop the earth being smashed into a billion pieces!

hmmm

I was given my nuclear warheads by some friends, I don't see why I should have to declare it.

popebenny16

Has this anything to do with the crackdown on fireworks? Maybe Dick wants to be bigger then Mick.

Sgt. Sensible

'Bang' goes my 'Nukes For Tots' scheme modelled on the Guns For Tots idea of some fruitcake from the superloony American Libertarian Party.

seamus

Manic Moran wrote:

Is that actually a legal/enforceable prohibition? Basically extending Irish sovereignty into other countries without asking them? Are the similar laws against any other act, such as going to Holland to smoke pot, or Thailand for the sex acts not permissable in Ireland? And what if there's this great big feck-off asteroid coming to hit us, and we need to nuke it to save ourselves?

In the UK, a man can be tried and jailed if he travels to a foreign country and has sex with young people under the age of consent on the UK.

I don't see how this is any different, though I couldn't see the punishment being anything more then revocation of citizenship (and I'd be very surprised if anyone is *ever* charged under the bill).

Sparks

I like the way the District Court can rule on this. Shows forward planning. After all, the most likely target for a nuke would be Dublin, so bye-bye four courts, so it would be very important that the Ballinamuck District Court could step in to see justice is served in such a case.

constitutionus

oh for ****s sake, may as well flog my ticket for richard bransons galaxy spaceflight now. whats the point of going into space if ya cant nuke something:rolleyes:

dont suppose anyones in the maket for 14pounds of plutonium? feck all use to me now. some middle eastern bloke was sniffing about but i dont know. he seems a bit dodgy:D

MontgomeryClift

Dick Roche needs to be detonated.

Sparks

No, he needs to be banned.

Zombrex

I hope this doesn't mean we can't still build our own nuclear reactors.

You can have my nuclear reactor, when you pry it from my cold dead hands!

http://slashdot.org/science/99/05/20/1320256.shtml

Sparks

Warm glowing hands, surely...

bonkey

Wicknight wrote:

I hope this doesn't mean we can't still build our own nuclear reactors.

Well...while I'd be pretty amazed if this was some sneaky backdoor legislation to ban nuclear generation, a reactor could be described as a device.

And lets not even get into the discussion of someone caught in the act of generating electricity in a nuclear station

jc

Diogenes

bonkey wrote:

Don't some of the universities have micro-reactors? Are they now illegal, or is it okay to own one as lnog as you didn't build it and don't blow it up.

jc

Coming back to this point, Trinity do have a micro reactor in the science block

Manic Moran

Does Greenpeace know?

NTM

Capt'n Midnight

Building or detonating a nuclear device will be an indictable offence, punishable by terms including imprisonment for life.

what is nuclear device ?

smoke detectors use Americium to ionise the air http://www.epa.gov/radiation/sources/smoke_alarm.htm

onization chamber smoke detectors contain a small amount of radioactive material encapsulated in a metal chamber. They take advantage of the ions created by ionizing radiation to develop a low, but steady electrical current. Smoke particles entering the chamber disrupt the current and trigger the detector's alarm. Ionization chamber detectors react more quickly to fast flaming fires that give off little smoke.

also some lightening conductors use radiation to ionise the air to make them better targets.

constitutionus

dont forget some watches use radioactive material on their faces to shine in the dark too dear jesus theres nuclear devices all around us!!

Capt'n Midnight

constitutionus wrote:

dont forget some watches use radioactive material on their faces to shine in the dark too dear jesus theres nuclear devices all around us!!

I think they stopped that on most of them.

Time Magazine

OMGZ Dick Roche is going to have to shut down Trinity!

Maybe we can throw away the iodine tablets now?

I think it's absolutely hilarious, of all things, the the District Court now has the remit of giving justice to nuclear terrorists. If you rape someone you're sent straight to the Circuit Court but nukes are a local matter.

One of the funniest pieces of legislation I've heard of in a long time.

OMEGA-KNO3

we might need nuclear power in the future if we keep letting in all of these immigrants the ones that a stealing jobs away from me.

purple'n'gold

Is this something to do with the nuclear family that sociologists bang on about?

uglyjohn

bloody typical, only the law-abiding citizens will give theirs up and the criminals and gangs will carry on like before.
how the hell am i meant to protect my family if some scumbag breaks into my house:mad:



wait...if just nuclear explosions are banned...does that mean dirty bombs are still legal?

Dave!

Ibid wrote: »

Maybe we can throw away the iodine tablets now?

Let's not get careless now.

oscarBravo

Thread necromancy: bad.

Thread necromancy for an off-topic rant: mondo bad.

Thread necromancy for an off-topic, ill-informed, anti-immigrant rant: well, that's just a banning offence in my book.