Shell Ireland can build its proposed nine kilometre pipeline in Co Mayo providing it meets conditions outlined in a Government sponsored report.
Two reports were made public this afternoon, one prepared for the Government by UK-based Advantica Consultants and another prepared by the Corrib Technical Advisory Group (TAG), a body set up by the Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey to assist and advise him in the appointment of experts to undertake the safety review.
The Minister said the Advantica report gave "proper consideration" to safety issues in the selection process for the design option and the locations of the landfall, pipeline route and terminal.
He said he believed the pipeline will be constructed to "an appropriate standard," and will be "fit for purpose."
Shell can now go ahead with the controversial project providing the reports' recommendations are followed. However, Shell must implement a recommendation that pressure in the pipe will not exceed a limit determined by the expert review.
The Advantica report repeats a recommendation published in a draft report last year which limited the pressure allowed in the pipeline to a maximum of 144 bar.
The report says: "Provided that it can be demonstrated that the pressure in the onshore pipeline will be limited effectively, and that the recommendations made elsewhere in this report are followed, we believe that there will be a substantial safety margin in the pipeline design, and the pipeline design and proposed route should be accepted as meeting or exceeding international standards in terms of the acceptability of risk and international best practice for high pressure pipelines."
The TAG report recommended to the Minister that all the recommendations in the Advantica report should be adopted.
Mr Dempsey concluded by saying today's reports dealt "very comprehensively with the concerns about safety that some people earnestly held." He called on all parties to engage "constructively on the other issues relating to this project."
Advantica was the third in a series of consultancy companies hired by the Minister to look into safety aspects of the project and it held a public hearing in north Mayo last October. The hearing was boycotted by the "Rossport Five" and supporters over the limited terms of reference.
On June 29th, 2005, the five men were jailed until they purged their contempt over their refusal to stop picketing Shell's initial work on the project on the Mayo coast. The men refused to do so but they were released from prison in September 2005 after Shell applied to have an injunction discharged.
Separately, Shell was forced to dismantle a section of the pipeline that had been illegally welded together last year.
