John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 38, 83, 178 and 210 together.

As the Deputies are probably aware, a number of residents living close to the onshore upstream pipeline for the Corrib gas field have been expressing concerns regarding its safety. To allay the fears of the residents, the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, commissioned an international consulting company, Advantica, on 25 August 2005 to carry out a thorough and independent safety review of the proposed upstream onshore pipeline. Advantica is a world leader in the area of advanced hazard and risk assessment technologies of gas pipelines.

In parallel with this safety review, the Minister established a public consultation process to ensure that the concerns of the community would be fully addressed in the review. As part of this process, a two day public hearing was held in Geesala on 12 and 13 of October, chaired by Mr. John Gallagher SC, during which the community was given the opportunity to express its concerns directly to the consultants. The consultants also made a separate site inspection of the pipeline route and subsequently took the local concerns into account when carrying out their review. The review also critically examined all relevant documentation relating to the design, construction and operation of the pipeline and associated facilities, as well as to conclude whether the proposed installations would comply with recognised international best practice and would deliver a facility that it is fit for its purpose. Advantica was also asked to identify any deficiencies with regard to the safety of the pipeline and to make recommendations as to how these, if identified, would be remedied.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The draft safety review was presented to the community on 8 December 2005 and published on the same day. Comments were invited on the draft, with a closing date of December 22. The final report of the safety review was received in the Department recently and will be published shortly, together with recommendations arising from it made by the Corrib pipeline technical advisory group within the Department.

The Deputies will also be aware that the Minister has, after consultation with relevant parties, nominated a mediator, Mr. Peter Cassells, to work with the parties. This process is ongoing and entirely independent. However the Minister will obviously take account of any specific recommendations which might arise and are relevant. The Minister will publish the Advantica report, the technical advisory group report and recommendations arising from them. In addition he will consider consents for phases five and six of the project, which must be decided on the basis of the Advantica and technical advisory group recommendations, in due course.

The main benefits to the State will be that Ireland will again have a significant indigenous energy supply. This will result in a reduced dependence on gas imports for some three to four years at a time when our main supplier to date, the United Kingdom, will become a net importer of natural gas, due to the depletion of its reserves. Other benefits to the State from this discovery would be that the Corrib field may act as a catalyst for the possible extension of the Bord Gáis Éireann gas distribution system to towns in the north-west region, as well as providing tax revenue to the State and encouraging investment in oil and gas exploration.

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