Injunction to halt Corrib gas project sought in Europe

A FORMAL request to the European Commission seeking an injunction suspending State consents for the Corrib gas project has been submitted by a group of north Mayo residents.

The request has been submitted to the European Commission’s environment directorate by Pobal Chill Chomain, a Kilcommon parish community group comprising leading former Shell to Sea supporters.

The submission argues that State consents granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a former minister for communications, marine and natural resources for design, construction and operation of pipelines and gas refinery at Bellanaboy are in contravention of European law.

An injunction, known as “interim measures”, suspending certain projects or practices in member states, can be issued by the European Court of Justice as a form of legal injunction at the request of the European Commission.

Several such actions have been taken over the past two years by the commission’s environment directorate in relation to spring hunting in Malta and Italy, and the threat posed by a road-building project to the peatland habitat of the Rospuda valley in Poland.

Evidence had to be given of breaches of EU directives, and irrevocable and significant damage to the environment if no steps were taken.

The submission on the environmental threat posed by the Corrib gas project was written for Pobal Chill Chomain by former Bord Gáis engineering manager Leo Corcoran, who has also acted as consultant to An Taisce. It argues that EU directives are breached by the pipeline consents, and says that the EPA’s integrated pollution prevention control (IPPC) licence for the refinery is in breach of codes of practice and engineering standards for locating such facilities. The location is within a drinking water catchment supplying 10,000 people.

Pobal Chill Chomain is a new group, which includes members of the Rossport five. It dropped its campaign for a gas refinery at sea a month ago when it made a compromise proposal for an alternative location for the Corrib gas terminal on the coastline – thus precluding the need for an onshore pipeline.

The proposal, which was backed by Fine Gael TD Michael Ring, Labour Party president Michael D Higgins and Bishop of Killala, Dr John Fleming, was rejected by Shell EP Ireland.

Representatives of Pobal Chill Chomain are also due to attend a meeting of the European Parliament’s petitions committee today, where a separate complaint filed by Mark Garavan will be discussed.

Dr Garavan, a former Rossport Five spokesman, has argued that the project breaches several EU directives in relation to habitat protection, environmental impact assessment, drinking water protection and public consultation.

“Despite the careful public relations presentation, serious legal doubts remain over the Corrib development,” he said late last week.

“At issue is whether we have a Europe compromising its core social and environmental values under the pressure of energy fears, or whether we have a Europe securing its energy resources in a socially responsible manner.”