€5million worth of services and work at the Bellanaboy terminal site now open to tender.

The Partners are committed to deliver real and tangible economic benefits in Erris and Co. Mayo more widely and to move the Corrib project forward in partnership with the local community.

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.

Terry Nolan, Deputy Managing Director of Shell E&P Ireland (SEPIL) said today,

"On behalf of the Corrib Gas Partners, I am delighted to announce these services and subcontract work opportunities which will create additional local jobs. 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 went on to add:

"Work on the Bellanaboy Bridge terminal site has been suspended for almost a year now and we appreciate that many local people with jobs on the project want 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."

The first phase of work at the Bellanaboy Bridge terminal is the upgrade and expansion of the Axonics water treatment system in advance of the winter season. This is essential environmental work that must be undertaken to ensure the system can cater for any increases in water volumes over the winter months and to ensure environmental obligations are met.