Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 7, line 48, after "system" to insert "for both employees and the general public".

I acknowledge that the Minister of State has accepted a significant number of the amendments Deputies proposed on Committee Stage. The purpose of this amendment is to improve the definition of the term "safety case" and ensure it achieves more than currently proposed. Under the current wording, the term "safety case" means "a document describing the components of the safety management system relating to the designated petroleum activity concerned". The amendment proposes to add, after the words "safety management system", the words "for both employees and the general public". As I noted on Committee Stage, the definition of the term "safety case" must be watertight to ensure a petroleum activity or project that involves the laying of pipelines or bringing ashore of gas or oil is safe for the employees working on the infrastructure and members of the public.

On Committee Stage, some confusion arose as to whether my reference to a safety case related to workplace safety, which is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Authority. This is not the purpose of the amendment, which is to ensure that if, for example, a gas pipeline is being constructed, all the safety measures should be outlined in the safety case being made when the relevant company applies for a permit to proceed with the project. This would ensure those working on the pipeline or members of the public living nearby would be catered for as regards the safety case. While I do not intend to cause a fundamental division on this issue, I believe the proposed wording improves the definition.

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