The Government is to extend the benefits of the Corrib gas field off the Mayo coast to the towns of north Connacht, the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Fahey, has confirmed. This is a major departure from the original plan to build a pipeline from Pollatomais to Dublin via Galway.
The question of "progressing gas supply options for the west and advancing economic development" in the disadvantaged region had been pursued with the Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, Mr Fahey told Claremorris chamber of commerce at the weekend.
"I am anxious to ensure that, as happened in Cork with the Kinsale Head gas field, the availability of gas in the locality is used to promote the location of industry there and to bring maximum benefits to the west of Ireland," he said.
In particular, he said, "I have pursued the building of a further pipeline from Pollatomais via Ballina to Sligo to service towns in north Connacht." This would be "the first phase of bringing a gas supply to the whole northwest region", he added.
While Bord Gais had indicated that this would require further Government investment, "I can advise you all that the Government is committed to ensuring that the necessary pipeline infrastructure is in place to bring gas to customers, both domestic and commercial, in the west."
In addition to providing a gas supply to certain towns within the catchment area of the proposed pipeline and spur-line, BG was examining the prospect of supplying gas to other centres of population in the north-west, the Minister understood: "This is part of a national study to determine centres that can be supplied with gas on an economic basis."
The announcement did not come as a surprise to SIPTU's oil and gas committee spokesman, Mr Padraic Campbell, who has repeatedly criticised the building of the pipeline to Galway and Dublin at taxpayers' expense and with write-offs against profits for the development consortium comprising Enterprise Oil, Statoil and Marathon.
It was the result of continuous lobbying, he said, notably by the Council of the West.
The change of strategy, it is thought, may go some way towards helping to shift the balance of political power within Mayo in the run-up to a general election. It has been a source of comfort to a beleaguered Mr John Bruton that a recent MRBI poll commissioned by TG4 indicated that Fine Gael would hold its current three seats to Fianna Fail's two.
But with the extension of the gas pipeline to the north-west towns, all that could change.