Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 March 2005
195 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will release the full quantitative risk analysis report submitted to his Department by a company (details supplied) in relation to the proposed Corrib gas project. [8274/05]
View answerMy 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 or studies submitted to the 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.
