Dáil debates

Thursday, 24 November 2005

Adjournment Debate.

Corrib Gas Project.

3:00 pm

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Two days ago there was a report by an independent American consultant conducted by the Centre for Public Inquiry. The report spelt out that to proceed with the Corrib Gas project as laid down would be hazardous and would pose too great a danger to those who live beside the pipeline. This is a narrow peninsula. Even taking into account any safe distances, clearly it is not safe for those people to live beside this pipeline. Given that the peninsula is narrow there is no room for the pipeline so near to the people in those houses. Something has to give. As envisaged, it is clear the two elements do not fit.

The independent consultant was employed to investigate the position and he did so. It is clear the pipeline rule is not safe. While the Government has said it would be safe and the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, has said on many occasions that it is safe to live within 70 metres of the pipeline. Even applying international standards, people living within 200 metres and 400 metres of these pipelines, but with much lower levels of pressure, have died, having been scorched totally. There are minimum safe distances but one cannot apply those distances to this narrow peninsula.

I ask the Minister of State whether there is any rationale in proceeding with the Corrib Gas project as envisaged. Nobody is against the gas coming in but surely people have a right to be safe in their own homes. Five people from Rossport spent 94 days in jail to protect their right to be safe at home. I am sure the Minister of State will tell me about all the investigations that took place. These quantitative risk assessments, QRAs, were based on historical precedent. However, no historical precedent exists for this pipeline. It is an exotic pipeline project that has never been done before. No QRA will assess the risk. I am sure the Minister of State will talk about the study by Advantica, commissioned by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. However, this will not consider the consequences of a rupture to the pipeline. If that pipeline ruptures, the local people will be dead, as they know, which is why they were prepared to go to jail.

Someone wanting to build a house needs to get planning permission from the local authority and can then make an appeal to An Bord Pleanála. It can then be further appealed to the High Court on a point of law. However, this pipeline was exempted by the former Minister for Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Fahey. No proper planning for the pipeline took place. It was rushed through on the basis of ministerial consent.

The study points out that representatives of Shell met An Bord Pleanála. Shell and its partners, Statoil and Marathon, met the Taoiseach and the then Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Dermot Ahern. Certain assurances were given regarding the planning process. Four days later the full board of An Bord Pleanála met representatives of Shell, Marathon and Statoil. The rest is history. The project was passed by An Bord Pleanála following undue access to that board.

The oil and gas companies have been given latitude allowing them to hold a licence for 19 years and then walk away. I raised this matter with the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, and suggested he should restrict the licence to five years.

How can the project be allowed to proceed when a report by a reputable independent expert from America has made it clear that it poses too great a hazard to the people who will be obliged to live beside the pipeline?

Photo of Noel TreacyNoel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, has appointed Mr. Peter Cassells as mediator in the Corrib gas project dispute. Mr. Cassells was general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions from 1989 to 2001 and was one of the main architects of the social partnership agreements. He is chairperson of the National Centre for Partnership and Performance.

The Minister has closely followed the progress of the mediation process, under the leadership of Mr. Cassells, and is grateful to all concerned for their active participation in it. The Deputy will also know that the Minister has ordered a full safety review of the Corrib onshore upstream pipeline. Pending the outcome of this review Shell E&P Ireland has, at his request, ceased all works on the onshore pipeline. In addition it has ceased works on the offshore pipeline to allow for a period of public discussion and dialogue. Essential environmental and geotechnical maintenance and monitoring at the Bellanaboy terminal site are continuing but all other work on the terminal site has been suspended.

The current safety review is both thorough and comprehensive and is being carried out by independent internationally recognised experts. Advantica, the successful bidder, is a world leader in the development and application of advanced hazard and risk assessment technologies for gas pipelines.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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What has this to do with Shell?

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should allow the Minister of State to continue without interruption.

Photo of Noel TreacyNoel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I did not interrupt Deputy Cowley. I have listened to the Deputy times out of number. Our Constitution happily protects people and gives them the right to meet to discuss any issue.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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It does not protect their safety.

Photo of Rory O'HanlonRory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should allow the Minister of State to continue without interruption.

Photo of Noel TreacyNoel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The study involves a critical examination of all relevant documentation relating to the design, construction and operation of the pipeline and associated facilities. Advantica has been asked to conclude whether in its opinion the proposed installations have been or will be designed, constructed, installed and operated to appropriate standards and to identify deficiencies, if any, regarding the safety aspects of the proposed Corrib gas onshore pipeline and to make recommendations as to how these can be remedied.

The Minister has been conscious that people who have views relating to the safety of the pipeline should have the opportunity to have those views considered by Advantica. Views have been invited from local residents, communities and any interested parties. Advantica has visited the Corrib site as part of its work and a two-day public hearing, chaired by John Gallagher SC, was held in Mayo last month. I understand the Minister intends to publish the draft safety review shortly. In addition to the safety review, a new strengthened project monitoring procedure has been put in place to ensure the developer complies with all legal consents issues.

Extra personnel have been assigned to the petroleum affairs division of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and a new technical advisory group, independent of the petroleum affairs division, has been established to advise, monitor and verify works being carried out on this project. Authorised officers are empowered to inspect works on a regular and on-the-spot basis. These revised monitoring arrangements have been included in the terms of the most recent consent issued to the developers. The Minister also recognises the necessity to spell out more clearly the safety regime, which will be in place before the first gas flows through the pipelines from the Corrib field.

It is his intention, as outlined in the House recently, that a clear regime for the operation and maintenance of the pipeline will be in place. This will be an open and transparent system which will ensure that the highest standards of safety will apply. Obviously, if Advantica makes any recommendations on these issues in its final report the Minister will take them fully into account in the preparation of the final consents.

The Corrib gas field is a major infrastructural project, which has the potential to play a significant role in the economic and social regeneration of County Mayo and the north-west region. It will facilitate the improvement of the region's infrastructure and increase local employment, in both the short and long terms. The development will also increase Ireland's security of supply by providing a reliable, secure and indigenous source of gas.

Notwithstanding the potential benefits, it is crucial that the project proceeds having regard to the views of all the interested parties. The mediation process has a vital part to play in this. Copies of the report published by the Centre for Public Inquiry have been forwarded to the consultants. The Centre for Public Inquiry will be in a position to comment on the findings made therein at a presentation to be held at the beginning of December. The mediator, Mr. Peter Cassells, will chair this presentation and the consultants from Advantica will also be present.

I assure the House that the resolution of issues surrounding the Corrib project has been a priority for the Minister. I share his hope that the mediation process 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 on this very important gas project.