Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

If Deputy Cowley wishes to make threats, that is fine, but he, as a public representative, should be trying to lead people, rather than engaging in some of the activities in which he is currently engaged. It is not helpful for him to engage in such activities. There is independent verification of the safety of this project and this is as far as we can go. It is not a case of us not listening, but of us having exhausted every single avenue that we could to try to address people's concerns and convince them that they were unfounded. If people do not want to accept this, they do not want to accept it and there is nothing I can do to change their minds.

I have a particular role to play in respect of matters like consents and permissions. It is not my role to mediate between Shell and the local community or anybody else. If Shell was to decide, as it has indicated, that it will change the route of the pipeline or do something else, I would have a quasi-judicial role in deciding whether that route was acceptable and safe. I would prejudice that particular role if I was involved in negotiations or talks between Shell and the local community. Legally, I cannot do so and I do not plan to do so.

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