Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he is satisfied that all health and safety requirements applicable to the Corrib gas field have been complied with or are in due course to do so; when he expects product to be available in view of the urgent needs of the industrial and domestic sector and the economy generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33547/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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There is a range of requirements that apply to infrastructure projects like the Corrib Gas Project. As a consequence of both the independent Safety Review process, carried out for my Department by Advantica, and of the Cassells Report into the difficulties surrounding the project, a series of additional requirements have been made of the developer.

The Advantica report found that proper consideration to safety had been given in the selection process for the project as a whole. Moreover, the review found that so long as a number of measures were implemented, the project would carry a substantial safety margin and that both the pipeline and route should be accepted as meeting or exceeding international best practice. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG), which supervised the safety review, made further recommendations.

I published the full details of all these recommendations in May of this year, and the developer has committed itself to meet these in full. No further consents will be granted by me until TAG, and I, are satisfied that these requirements will be met.

I am, therefore, fully satisfied that the Corrib project will meet all international standards and criteria with regard to health and safety.

Furthermore, the responsibility for upstream safety will be handed over to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) subject to the passing of appropriate legislation, further ensuring a comprehensive and rigorous safety regime for the upstream industry.

The developer is also implementing the recommendation in the Cassells report concerning the re-routing of the onshore pipeline. It is estimated that first gas will be available in late 2009.