Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputies Ferris and Deenihan for raising this matter. I am very conscious of the economic potential of this project and I hope to throw some light on the matter in my reply. Following the enactment of the Foreshore and Dumping at Sea (Amendment) Act 2009, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government assumed responsibility in January 2010 for a range of foreshore functions including all foreshore energy-related developments.

The Shannon LNG proposal to construct a liquefied natural gas, LNG, regasification terminal on the Shannon Estuary between Tarbert and Ballylongford in County Kerry was one of a large number of projects for which foreshore applications had been submitted and on which decisions had not been finalised or conveyed to the project promoters prior to the transfer of functions. This project will involve the construction of an LNG marine import and regasification terminal, and a pipeline connection from the site to the Bord Gáis transmission system.

The four foreshore applications made by Shannon LNG in respect of the project were originally made to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in April 2008. The applications are for consents under the Foreshore Act to construct an LNG jetty that will be used for mooring and offloading LNG tankers; a materials handling jetty for the delivery of construction materials to the site by sea; a sea water intake and outfall required to circulate sea water through heat exchangers for use in the process of warming the LNG and converting it from liquid to gas; and a drainage outfall to discharge surface water, ground water, treated foul water, and used fire water from the proposed development.

Following submission of the applications, they were referred to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's expert consultees, all of whom approved of the proposed developments subject to certain conditions. The applications were also subjected to the usual public consultation procedure, property valuation and deliberation by the marine licence vetting committee, which also recommended approval of the applications subject to the conditions specified by the expert consultees. All of the specified conditions to be attached to the consents have now been accepted by the applicant.

The consent process had not reached a conclusion when responsibility for the applications transferred into the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in January 2010. However, the Department moved to finalise the consent process as a matter of priority, which required advice from the Attorney General's office on a legal matter. Following receipt of this advice, the Minister, Deputy John Gormley, granted the consents on 20 April 2010. On 22 April 2010 the Department instructed the Chief State Solicitor's office to draft the necessary and complex legal documents required to give effect to the consents. Work has been ongoing on this issue and the CSSO has confirmed that the amended drafts of the documents will be available by 1 July 2010, allowing the draft leases and licences to issue to the applicant for their agreement.

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