Founding the Institute
IRSN was set up under Article 5 of French Act No. 2001-398 of May 9, 2001, enacted through Order No. 2002-254 of February 22, 2002. This Order was amended on April 7, 2007 following the adoption on June 13, 2006 of the Transparency and Nuclear Safety Act.
Status
IRSN is a public authority with industrial and commercial activities, placed under the joint authority of the Ministry for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Town and Country Planning, the Ministry for the Economy, Industry and Employment, the Ministry for Higher Education and Research, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry for Health and Sports.
Directors
• Agnès Buzyn, Board of Directors Chairperson
• Jacques Repussard, Director General
• Michel Brière, Deputy Director General in charge of defense-related missions
• Jean-Luc Pas quier, Deputy Director
• Jean-François Lacronique, Advisor
• Daniel Quéniart, Advisor
Purpose
IRSN is the nation’s public service expert in nuclear and radiation risks, providing assessments and conducting research to meet the needs of public authorities.
2008 BudgetRevenue: €255 million.
Expenditure: €281 million, including €35 million for equipment investment.
Specializations
• Monitoring environmental radiation and participating in radiological emergency response situations.
• Human radiation protection.
• Prevention of major accidents in nuclear facilities.
• Reactor safety.
• Safety in plants, laboratories, transport, and waste treatment.
• Nuclear defense expertise.
Lines of development in the IRSN Contract of Objectives for 2006-2009
• Rethink the research dynamic.
• Optimize technical support provided to public authorities.
• Provide other social and economic stakeholders with the information, expertise and studies they require.
• Drive activity on the European and international scene.
Workforce (as of December 31, 2008)
IRSN employs around 1,700 people, including many specialists, engineers, researchers, physicians, agricultural engineers, veterinary surgeons and technicians, as well as experts in nuclear safety, radiation protection and control of sensitive nuclear materials.