Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 427: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if officials of his Department briefed his predecessor, the Minister, Deputy Dermot Ahern, on the contents of the qualified risk assessment commissioned and carried out on behalf of the developers of the Corrib gas project in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10969/05]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 428: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if his officials briefed the Minister of State at his Department on the contents of the quantified risk assessment carried out on the onshore section of the unprecedented high-pressure upstream gas pipeline between landfall and the proposed refinery at Ballinaboy in north County Mayo; and if so, if this briefing took place before the Minister granted the consent to Enterprise Energy Ireland to proceed with the construction of the pipeline. [10970/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 428 together.

The officials of my Department did not brief my predecessor, Deputy Dermot Ahern, on the contents of the qualified risk assessment, QRA, on the Corrib Gas pipeline, as the consent to construct the pipeline had been granted prior to his appointment. The consent to construct a pipeline was given by the former Minister, Deputy Fahey.

The then Minister, Deputy Fahey, was advised of the thorough examination carried out by officials of the Department of the pipeline application including the recommendations made by the pipeline consultant on the design codes. The QRA formed part of a suite of detailed documents and reports considered within the petroleum affairs division of my Department prior to the submission of recommendations to the Minister. Having regard to the aforementioned thorough examination, the then Minister made his decision.