The Celtic League says it believes Technetium 99 levels on the Island are still a concern.

Their warning follows the recent release of the annual statistics from radioactivity monitoring in the Isle of Man carried out by the Government Laboratory.

Whilst the report notes that concentrations in 2007 are less than a quarter of the peak level found in February 1998, the League points out that 2007 levels are still four times higher than the level recorded by the lab in 1995.

The group claims reductions in levels of the radioactive element found in the discharges from Sellafield have become more erratic in recent years and in 2004 they showed an unexplained increase.

It's also noted that comparison of the latest Manx data relating to Technetium with the most recent figures published in Ireland by the Radiological Institute of Ireland reveals that their 2006 figures show concentrations in seaweed at just half the levels they were in 1995, while Isle of Man levels measured in lobsters were four times higher.

Whilst admitting this could be down to sampling sources, the League believes it could also be explained by the Isle of Man's closer proximity to what they call "the world's worst nuclear polluter" - Sellafield.