Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

The Corrib gas project is a joint venture between three companies, Statoil, Shell E & P Ireland Limited and Marathon. It is not within my remit to call a halt to such a project provided the developers observe all obligations and discharge all responsibilities in accordance with the terms of the various consents and approvals given. When the petroleum lease for the Corrib development was granted by my predecessor, he was satisfied a viable commercial discovery had been made. I have had no information since then to the contrary.

As I have outlined to the House a number of times and most recently on 25 January, I commissioned an international consulting company, Advantica, on 25 August 2005 to carry out a thorough and independent safety review of the onshore upstream section of the Corrib gas pipeline. In parallel with this safety review I established a public consultation process, including a two-day public hearing in Geesala on the 12 and 13 October, during which the community was given the opportunity to express its concerns directly to the consultants. A draft of the safety review was published and presented to the community on 8 December and written submissions on it were invited. I have received Advantica's final report, which I intend to publish shortly.

The Deputy will be aware that after consultation with relevant parties, I have nominated a mediator, Mr. Peter Cassells, to work with the parties. I am hopeful the mediation process currently under way, augmented as needed by the results of the safety review, will allow all those concerned to work together to resolve the difficulties that have arisen. I will ensure the outcome of all of these initiatives is fully taken into account in making the necessary decisions.

What the Deputy refers to in his question as a "recent find in the north west" arises from an article in a business magazine reporting an estimate of the resource potential carried out for one operator. The reference is to the potential resources in that area and does not constitute a discovery, much less a commercial find. I note that the Deputy recognises the importance of the availability of indigenous gas in the context of security of supply and I inform him that the Corrib remains a key resource in this regard.

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