News & media releases
Shell welcomes Government led mediation and safety review
30/09/2005
Shell E&P Ireland (SEPIL) welcomes the Government led mediation initiative and the safety review as significant steps towards dialogue and responds by applying to the court to have the temporary injunction set-aside.
SEPIL believes that the Government proposed mediation process, together with the safety review will allow constructive dialogue to begin. The company hopes this will lead to a final resolution of the issue. To facilitate the process, SEPIL has today applied to the High Court, to have the temporary (interlocutory) injunction, which the company was granted in respect of the Corrib onshore pipeline, set-aside. Following the Company’s application, the five objectors have apologised to the court and they have been released from prison.
The Company today brought to the attention of the Court, that circumstances surrounding the temporary injunction have changed, following the Minister’s announcement, earlier this week, in regard to the timing of the Safety Review process. As part of the Safety Review, public hearings will take place on October 12th and 13th, and the final process will not now conclude before the beginning of November. The effect of this information means that work on the onshore line cannot now take place this year, on account of the weather conditions that are likely to prevail in the period after the Safety Review outcome. As the work cannot now take place before the onset of winter, it is no longer essential to have in place the temporary injunction.
The Company’s final decision was made following a request from the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources for further initiatives from both sides and the beginning of a Government initiated mediation process. It is hoped today’s development will lead to the five objectors engaging in the proposed mediation, and fully participating in the independent Safety Review. SEPIL believes this mediation process, together with the Safety Review, can bring about dialogue aimed at resolving concerns relating to the onshore pipeline.
Welcoming today’s events SEPIL managing director, Andy Pyle said: “We fully recognise the concerns of the objectors and the very difficult situation which the men and their families have been through. For the past three months, we have worked to bring about the conditions under which the men could come out of prison while maintaining our lawful right to complete this authorised development.
We have suspended all onshore and offshore works and have offered to engage in third party, independent, mediation. We believe that new information regarding the timing around the safety review, together with the Minister’s initiatives, allow us to now move towards a successful conclusion and a resumption of the project”
The Corrib project is of strategic importance to Ireland, providing both security of supply and economic benefits both locally and nationally. The Company will continue to seek permanent legal protection for the Corrib onshore pipeline from the Court when a full hearing of its current legal procedures takes place later this year. The High Court has recognised the importance, for all parties, of these proceedings being finally determined as soon as possible and has agreed to fix an early date for the full hearing.