Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the progress of his initiative to facilitate a dialogue between local residents and those proposing to bring gas ashore from the Corrib gas field; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43713/08]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the Corrib gas terminal and the proposed routes; if the proposed forum has had its first meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43635/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 119 together.

On 6th November I, together with the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaelteacht Affairs, announced the establishment of the North West Mayo Forum. The Forum, which is separate from the planning and statutory consent processes, will offer a positive opportunity for furthering the socio-economic development of the North West Mayo region, through a coordinated engagement involving a number of Government Departments and State Bodies, with members of the local community and their public representatives. It will also provide an opportunity for dialogue between all parties with an interest in the Corrib project and help promote understanding of how the project is regulated by providing the local community and their public representatives with an opportunity for a coordinated engagement with the Government Departments and other State Bodies that have a regulatory role in relation to the project.

The forum will be chaired by Mr. Joe Brosnan and the first meeting will take place on Friday 5th December in Belmullet, County Mayo.

The location of an onshore gas terminal is a matter for the developer who must then obtain the necessary planning permission. I have no statutory role in this regard. In the case of the Corrib Gas Project, the onshore gas terminal at Bellanaboy is currently under construction having been granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanála under the Planning and Development Acts in October 2004.

With regard to the route of the pipeline, in implementing a recommendation made by the State appointed mediator, Mr. Peter Cassells, to route the pipeline away from houses in the Rossport area and, following a route selection process involving several months of public consultations, the developer submitted a new application to me for the construction of the Corrib pipeline along a modified onshore route, together with an application for the associated change to the Corrib Plan of Development in April of this year. A decision on each of these will be made in the coming months.