Shell has offered local businesses the chance to provide €5 million worth of goods and services for the controversial Corrib Gas pipeline project.
Shell E&P Ireland announced it will open services for the Bellanaboy Bridge site to tender and is seeking expressions of interest from local businesses.
Terry Nolan, Shell E&P Ireland
In a statement on behalf of the Corrib Gas Partners, Shell said it was committed to delivering "real and tangible economic benefits in Erris and Co Mayo" and to moving the Corrib project forward in partnership with the local community.
The project has been held up by legal challenges and objections by some local campaigners, who did not want the onshore section of the new gas pipeline passing close to their homes for safety reasons.
Five local men were imprisoned for contempt of court during a legal action over the pipeline last year.
In a compromise deal, Shell recently announced it would alter part of the pipeline route.
The Shell statement said advertisements seeking expressions of interest for site services and sub-contractor work at the Bellanaboy Bridge terminal will be published in local newspapers over the next few weeks.
"These significant work opportunities for local businesses are just one of several initiatives the partners will be announcing over the coming weeks around enhancing local benefits, providing local employment and the procurement of services locally," the statement added.
Terry Nolan, deputy managing director of Shell E&P Ireland (SEPIL) said: "One of the main concerns expressed by the people of Erris was that the project was not delivering enough tangible local benefits.
"We listened to what the community was telling us and worked in conjunction with the primary site contractor Roadbridge Ltd to identify services and work that could be made open to tender to local businesses," he said.
Mr Nolan noted the work on the Bellanaboy site had been suspended for almost a year and said the company appreciated that many local people with jobs on the project wanted to get back to work.
"The terminal has been through a rigorous planning process and has full planning permission.
"The Corrib partners have agreed to implement all of the recommendations of both the independent safety review and the mediator's report and together with these works announcements today, we believe that it is time now to move this project forward so that it can start to deliver tangible jobs and benefits for the local community," he said.