An Bord Pleanála says Corrib pipeline poses unacceptable risk

[cactusflower]

Apparently none of you are aware of what has been going on down in Rossport over the last 2 years. While Shell to Sea have been giving cover to Shell by screaming and shouting at everybody who doesn't subscribe to their message, a number of residents of Rossport and the wider parish of Cill Chomáin have become intimately familiar with the planning and judicial process. They have put before the board, using their combined extensive local knowledge, experience of 9 years dealing with this project, and outside experts, a comprehensive presentation of the legitimate concerns of their community. By dogged persistence they have shown up the Gardai, the Private Security Authority, Minister Ryan and Mayo County Council to be in dereliction of their duty to the residents of the parish of Cill Chomáin. They have also taken on Shell in the courts, under property, planning and gas legislation, to ultimately get Shell convicted of contempt of a court order in the Rossport commonage. They have brought their case to the attention of the European Commission who are now threatening the Irish government with intervention should they allow the developer to negatively impact on the integrity of specially protected areas (SAC's).

The board know that this current application for a pipe through Rossport is f**ked. Again, as in 2003 when the terminal was refused, the planning inspector has done his duty with impartiality and competence. But this time the board are not going to be hung out to dry, as they were in 2003 when they were forced by Bertie Ahern to overturn their inspectors decision. They are being quite smart and are putting the ball in Shell and Minister Ryans court. Now Shell will have to submit a route up through Sruthfadaconn bay which their own consultants, RPS, deemed impossible, and if they can work that one out, our green minister will have to trot off to Brussels to get a derogation from Europe to rip up a highly protected Special Protected Area (SPA) - now that will be fun! John O'Connor must be laughing his state pensioned little head off!

Well done to all involved. Yes, there is much lower awareness of the amount of work people have put into the planning process than of the demonstrations. There is no that much awareness of any of it though. I appreciate that PR may not be something you've got much time for.

Are you confident that the Board have hit the ball out of the park ? I've read the Board's letter, but without knowing the site well or knowing the distances couldn't form a view.

[Galtee]

Impossible to say yet

[cactusflower]

Impossible to say yet

Are you happy with the risk assessment methodology proposed by the Board ?

Has that the Board has given a hostage to fortune in referring to a "provisional" decision to
grant, before the Further Information has been received ?

I have never seen that done before. Perhaps its just politicking.

[David Cochrane]

Can I just ask ... the previous pipeline that Shell has planning permission for was closer to homes wasn't it? This plan was one that was further away - and it was declined?

I don't understand that, can someone explain that to me?

And their previous planning permission is still valid, right? So they could just proceed with that?

[Galtee]

Exactly, go back to ABP inspector Kevin Moores report on the terminal - they built it in the wrong place! Now if you work for a company like Shell you are arrogant to the point that you cannot take just one step back to move 10 steps forward. Shell have never accepted the faults of their project and therefor have ploughed ahead with different elements of the project assuming that permission for the other elements will follow as sure as night follows day - after all we are Shell, we have the money and the power, and we always get our way! Even now with a damming letter from the Board, you can be sure that Shell are completely convinced that they are right and the Board are wrong and make no mistake about it - Shell will use every device in their power to get that pipe from Glengad to Ballinaboy and failure is not an option. One just hopes that because of their arrogance and their manipulation of power, the parish of Cill Chomain is not descended into yet another year of turmoil.

[David Cochrane]

Well I think your post is verging on the hysterical D.Harry - but you've not answered my question. How can planning permission which is closer to the homes be accepted, but one that's further away deemed less safe by AnBP?

It's inconsistent, and seriously confusing.

[Fantasia]

Either way, I will accept the law of the land.

Why? Whats in it for you?

[Gryire]

And it will probably be the last pipeline ever built.

No O&GE company is going to touch us with a bargepole after this fiasco.

The irony is that for all this sh1te about the State 'giving away' our natural resources, we're probably going to have to offer even more generous terms in future to attract exploration.

35 years later and we have only tapped one gas well in thousands of miles of territorial seas, while the Norwegians, who bent over backwards to get private companies to discover reserves in the 70s, are rolling in it.

What a bloody joke we are.

I have a very good knowledge of the Oil and Gas sector in the North Sea (worked thare from 1984 until 1999), both UK and Norwegian. Your comment displays a complete lack of knowledge about the reasons why Ireland has not delveloped its Oil and Gas Industry.

[Galtee]

The original route was exempt from planning permission until the jailing of the Rossport 5, what you had essentially was an offshore pipe being brought 9 km inland. Frank Fahy gave the go ahead and signed a statutory instrument to allow Enterprise Oil Compulsory Acquisition Powers. This was subsequently all deemed illegal, the Gas Act had to be amended and head of the Petroleum Affairs Division committed perjury in court to cover up Shells illegal pipeline construction.

So in answer to your question, no raw gas pipeline in Rossport has ever received planning permission.

[truthisfree]

Apparently none of you are aware of what has been going on down in Rossport over the last 2 years. While Shell to Sea have been giving cover to Shell by screaming and shouting at everybody who doesn't subscribe to their message, a number of residents of Rossport and the wider parish of Cill Chomáin have become intimately familiar with the planning and judicial process. They have put before the board, using their combined extensive local knowledge, experience of 9 years dealing with this project, and outside experts, a comprehensive presentation of the legitimate concerns of their community. By dogged persistence they have shown up the Gardai, the Private Security Authority, Minister Ryan and Mayo County Council to be in dereliction of their duty to the residents of the parish of Cill Chomáin. They have also taken on Shell in the courts, under property, planning and gas legislation, to ultimately get Shell convicted of contempt of a court order in the Rossport commonage. They have brought their case to the attention of the European Commission who are now threatening the Irish government with intervention should they allow the developer to negatively impact on the integrity of specially protected areas (SAC's).

The board know that this current application for a pipe through Rossport is f**ked. Again, as in 2003 when the terminal was refused, the planning inspector has done his duty with impartiality and competence. But this time the board are not going to be hung out to dry, as they were in 2003 when they were forced by Bertie Ahern to overturn their inspectors decision. They are being quite smart and are putting the ball in Shell and Minister Ryans court. Now Shell will have to submit a route up through Sruthfadaconn bay which their own consultants, RPS, deemed impossible, and if they can work that one out, our green minister will have to trot off to Brussels to get a derogation from Europe to rip up a highly protected Special Protected Area (SPA) - now that will be fun! John O'Connor must be laughing his state pensioned little head off!

Interesting development and well done on the work that has been done on this by the residents. Looking at the maps, the pipeline does seem very close to domestic dwellings.