Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 363: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position on the development of the Corrib gas field; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10172/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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All relevant approvals from my Department have issued in respect of the proposed development of the Corrib gas field since 2002. These approvals include the plan of development approval on 15 April 2002 under the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960; consent to construct a pipeline dated 15 April 2002 under the Gas Act 1976 as amended; consent under section 5 of the Continental Shelf Act 1968 as amended dated 15 April 2002; and foreshore licence approval on 17 May 2002 under the Foreshore Act 1933 as amended. The developers are finalising their work plan for 2006 and will commence well completion operations with the drilling rig Sedco 711 on the field in late April or early May 2006. My Department is at present considering the following applications from the developers for consent to install and commission an onshore pipeline and umbilical; offshore umbilical; manifold installation and infield works. The requirement to seek the approval for consent to install and commission the pipeline is an administrative condition attaching to the consent to construct the pipeline.

On 25 of August 2005, I commissioned an international consulting company, Advantica, to carry out a thorough and independent safety review of the onshore section of the Corrib gas pipeline. Advantica is the world leader in the area of advanced hazard and risk assessment technologies for gas pipelines. At my request the developers of the Corrib gas field ceased all works on the onshore pipeline pending the outcome of this review to allow for a period of public discussion and dialogue. In addition, works on the offshore pipeline were deferred to 2006 by the developers. In parallel with this safety review, I established a public consultation process to ensure that the concerns of the community would be fully addressed in the review. As part of this process, a two-day public hearing was held in Geesala on the 12 and 13 October, chaired by Mr. John Gallagher SC, during which the community was given the opportunity to express its concerns directly to the consultants. The consultants also made a separate site inspection of the pipeline route.

The results of this review have now been forwarded to my Department and I am considering it, along with an additional report from my Department's technical advisory group. I hope to make a decision regarding the applications on hand having regard to these reports. In addition to the above, I have appointed Mr. Peter Cassells as mediator in the Corrib dispute. I hope that the mediation process will allow all those concerned to work together to resolve the difficulties that have arisen.