December 2013

SHELL E&P Ireland plans to apply to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) early in 2014 for a review of its Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control License (IPPC). Last October the High Court quashed the EPA’s decision to grant a license after Erris resident, Martin Harrington, argued the agency had failed to adhere to proper procedure in reaching its decision to issue a revised license. THE modified IPPC license, which addressed issues raised during an EPA oral hearing in 2007, was issued last June.

The Corrib Gas partners are now counting the cost of a contentious An Bord Pleanala ruling as the bill for the project is set to hit almost €3.4bn before the end of next year.

The company driving the project, Shell E&P confirmed yesterday that the Corrib Gas Partners last year spent a further €250m on the project, which has yet to make any commercial returns.

The 2012 outlay brought the total spend on the project to €2.68bn at the end of December last.

Recently appointed Judge Faughnan presided over this month's district court session at Belmullet. Two Shell to Sea related cases were finalised resulting in one campaigner avoiding conviction by receiving the benefit of the probation act and another - local Shell to Sea spokesperson Terence Conway - being convicted and fined E200.
When the Belmullet District court session opened on Wednesday morning there were seven campaigners due to appear in court on charges arising from the ongoing imposition of, and protest against, the Shell Corrib gas project in North West Mayo.
Shell Santa also made an appearance at court bearing gifts of alcohol but the Gardaí didn't seem too happy for him to visit them in such a public setting.