Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 101: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when his Department's attention was drawn to the quantified risk assessment for the Corrib upstream gas pipeline commissioned or carried out by a company (details supplied) on behalf of Enterprise Energy Ireland. [8402/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The quantified risk assessment for the Corrib upstream gas pipeline referred to by the Deputy came to my Department's attention when the developers applied to my predecessor for consent to construct a pipeline under the Gas Act 1976, as amended in November 2001.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 102: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will provide a copy of the quantified risk assessment that was carried out on the Corrib gas project, north County Mayo, in its entirety. [8423/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department is at present considering an application for consent to install the onshore pipeline. Both the quantified risk assessment, QRA, and the Johnston report, to which I have referred previously, will form part of this process. In so far as there may be issues in the QRA that need further clarification, elaboration or even additional material, Mr. Andrew Johnston, assisted by other independent consultants, will be providing the necessary advice to my Department.

On 21 February 2005, Shell reactivated its application for consent to install and commission phase 3: onshore pipeline and umbilical, originally submitted in June 2002. On 24 February 2005, my Department wrote to Shell requesting the clarification and elaboration of certain information and studies provided in the 2002 application.

Officials from my Department met with Shell on Friday, 4 March 2005, to discuss these issues further. In the course of this meeting Shell advised that the company had appointed Shell Global Solutions to carry out a peer review on the QRA and any associated reports-studies submitted to my Department by the then operator Enterprise Energy Ireland Ltd. Shell has agreed to submit these reports to my Department by early April of this year.

It is my intention to appoint a consultant, who is an expert in quantified risk assessment, to review these documents and report to me on all aspects and especially that of public safety. I intend to publish these reports immediately when available.

It is my intention to progress consideration of the application for consent to install the upstream pipeline in an open, balanced and informed manner. My decision to publish the full suite of documents mentioned above, prior to my making a decision, will, hopefully, allay local fears in regard to the safety of the pipeline and the process being adopted.