Exporting of gas reserves a sell-out

FOLLOWING the recent landslide in north Mayo, it is not surprising that fresh controversy has erupted among local residents, fishermen, small farmers and politicians in the wake of new moves by Shell to get planning permission to build a gas terminal in the area.

With opinion sharply divided along safety, environmental and economic lines, the terminal at the centre of the row would process gas from the Corrib Field 70km off the Mayo coast.

The proposed processing facility has already been the subject of a public hearing which saw Bord Pleanála reject an initial proposal from Shell EP Ireland.

That decision has since proved prophetic as the planning board turned down the submission because of concerns over how 650,000 cubic metres of peat, to be excavated on the site, could be safely stored without the risk of a bogslide.

Ironically, the production company plans to bring the gas ashore at Pollatómish where the lives of local people were put at risk in a major landslide of peat from Dooncarton mountain.

Since then, the isolated community faced an uphill battle to get adequate compensation from the Government. To date, 300,000 has been offered by the State, a paltry sum compared with last year’s

13.5 million bail-out of flood victims in Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s Dublin constituency.

Meanwhile, controversy continues to dog the Corrib development at the site of a proposed terminal on a peat bog at Bellanaboy bridge, an area adjoining a salmon fishery rated among the finest in Europe.

In the minds of local campaigners, who believe their objections have been vindicated, the latest plan would be even more hazardous than the original proposal.

With Government backing, the Shell group is currently talking to Bord na Móna on the possibility of using a cutaway bog at Strathmore, 11 km away, to store the vast amounts of peat to be removed from the terminal site. But despite widespread misgivings, many local people support the Shell proposal, provided the environmental problems can be resolved.

One suggestion worthy of consideration has come from local TD, Dr Gerry Cowley, who wants the excavated peat to be burned at the ESB power station in Bellacorick, which is due to shut down.

Arguably, that would be preferable to Shell’s latest proposal to spread the peat on a cutaway bog where wind and rain would carry it off the land, inevitably silting up streams in an area heavily dependent on fishing tourism.

With the focus on safety and environmental issues, debate has tended to be deflected from the shortcomings of Government energy policy involving giveaway royalty deals with global companies.

Nobody questions the need to realise the commercial potential of oil and gas finds in Irish waters. Indeed, it makes considerable sense to offer a carrot to entice exploration groups into Irish waters, especially in the deep areas off the west coast where costs are extremely high.

But for the Coalition to surrender the prize of Ireland’s undoubted oil and gas reserves for a pittance does not make economic sense.

Astonishingly, in the case of the Mayo development, the taxpayer will end up paying for the pipeline and other aspects of the deal. Yet, according to those who rightly question Government policy, a major share of the Corrib gas reserves will be exported, with little added value accruing to the Exchequer.

That is tantamount to a blatant sell-out.