The IRSN, created by the law of 9 May 2001 and the decree of 22 February 2002, was set up as an independent public establishment as part of the national drive to reorganise the supervision of nuclear safety and radiation protection, in order to concentrate public assessment and research resources in these fields. The IRSN reports to the ministers for the Environment, Health, Research, Industry and Defence.

The Institute runs and implements research programs to ensure that the national public assessment capability is soundly based on the most advanced scientific knowledge in these fields at an international level and to contribute to the development of scientific knowledge concerning nuclear and radiological risks. Its role is to provide technical support for the public authorities with competence for safety, security and radiation protection in both the civilian and defence sectors (secret BNIs, weapons systems and nuclear-powered ships). Finally, the decree that created it gives it certain duties outside the scope of research, in particular in monitoring of the environment and of populations exposed to ionising radiation. These missions in particular include radiation protection training, management of national databases (national nuclear materials inventory, national radioactive sources file, SISERI file containing worker exposure to ionising radiation, etc.) as well as helping to inform the public of the risks linked to ionising radiation.

In accordance with this same decree, the IRSN publishes the results of its R&D programmes, except for those related to defence, primarily on its website, www.irsn.org. This same year, the website received more than 900,000 visits and about 900 messages in its contact@irsn.fr mailbox.

The IRSN reports on its activities in the public annual report it officially communicates to its supervisory Ministries, as well as to the Higher Council for Nuclear Safety and Information, to the Higher Council for Public Health in France and to the Higher Council for the Prevention of Professional Risks. The 2004 version of this exhaustive activity report is available in French and English on the IRSN website and can be obtained on request either on paper or on a mini CD-ROM from the Institute (IRSN BP17 92262 Fontenay-aux-Roses Cedex).

In application of the framework agreement signed in 2004, which defines the procedures for dialogue between the IRSN and the ASN, as well as the principles governing the technical support the Institute provides to the ASN, an annual protocol identifying the actions to be performed by the IRSN on behalf of the ASN was signed in 2005.

In 2005, the IRSN submitted about 700 opinions to the ASN and about 20 reports to the advisory committees. It in particular presented its expert opinions to 19 sittings of the advisory committees.
These opinions primarily concerned:
– the periodic safety review concerning the third ten-yearly outages for the 900 Mwe reactors,
– the periodic safety review concerning the second ten-yearly outages for the 1300 MWe reactors,
– review of lessons learned from operation of French and foreign pressurised water reactors during the period 2000 to 2002,
– review of the draft safety analysis report for the future EPR reactor,
– review of the preliminary safety analysis report for the Georges Besse II centrifugal enrichment plant,
– review of the waste management policy.

Finally, the travelling exhibition jointly managed by the ASN and the IRSN, entitled "Nuclear activities under close supervision", was presented in the towns of Evry and Bourges. For its run in Evry alone, the exhibition welcomed 1800 visitors, including 300 university students and 200 high school students. This was also an opportunity to organise a round table about the transport of radioactive materials, which was attended by about a hundred people.

The decision was also taken to revamp the exhibition in 2005 and the title, poster and seven thematic booklets were revised. The seven booklets were in fact replaced by an educational visitor's guide.

In addition, a newsletter was created, designed to give a regional and "topical" feel to the exhibition.

For further information, contact www.irsn.org.