Minister for the Marine Noel Dempsey has said he will appoint a mediator if both sides in the Corrib gas dispute are willing to take part in the process.
Mr Dempsey said he had been in contact with both Shell E&P Ireland and representatives of the so-called Rossport 5, five Mayo men who have been in jail for over 90 days in protest at Shell's development plan.
In a statement tonight the Minister called on both side to "to create the conditions which will allow such a process to commence immediately".
This is the second time Mr Dempsey has tried to appoint a mediator.