Minister Dempsey Announces Composition and Role of Technical Advisory Group for Corrib Development

The Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey T.D., today announced the composition of the new Technical Advisory Group (TAG). This group has been established for two reasons - To manage the independent Safety Review and to manage the inspection and supervisory regime of the Development.

The TAG is comprised of the following members:

• Mr Bob Hanna,  Chief Technical Advisor & Energy Installations Inspector, Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.
• Mr Koen Verbruggen,  Senior Geologist, Geological Survey of Ireland.
• Mr Richard McKeever, Assistant Chief Engineer, Engineering Division, Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

In addition the TAG has legal advice available to it. It will be free to obtain general or specialist technical advice to support its activities.

With regard to the Safety Review, the TAG will select the successful tender, manage the contract with the selected consultants, review the conclusions and recommendations of the consultants and make a submission to the Minister.

The TAG will also oversee a programme of inspection, with both regular and ‘on the spot’ checks by Authorised Officers and verify compliance with both the Plan of Development and the various Ministerial consents under which permission to carry out work are given.

These Authorised Officers will be empowered by the Minister to enter into and inspect, any work by the Corrib developers. Authorised Officers will either be appropriately qualified members of the Department or other suitably qualified persons, where the relevant expertise is not available within the Department.

“This new Technical Advisory Group addresses the twin concerns expressed to me by local people – that of the safety of the pipeline and the monitoring and inspection regime. The independent Safety Review will examine all aspects of the safety of the pipeline and if it determines that safety conditions need to be improved then these recommendations will be fully taken into account in future consents” said Minister Dempsey. 

“The inspection regime of the Department has been strengthened. It is now concentrating on a mix of physical inspection visits by Authorised Officers, coupled with regular meetings with Corrib Developers and the publication on the Department’s website of works progress information in relation to the project. These measures will ensure that relevant information is available in a timely manner,” he concluded.

ENDS