The operation was completed without any safety incidents, ahead of schedule and with minimal disruption to local residents. 100,000 tonnes of peat were moved in 2005, with the remaining 350,000 tonnes removed this year. The operation began in April and involved some 20,000 round trips with trucks driving nearly 500,000km.
One of the planning conditions related to the Corrib project’s peat haulage operation was the payment of €1 per cubic metre of peat removed to Mayo County Council. The €450,000 is to be used for the provision of environmental improvements, recreational or community amenities in the locality and the Council is already taking applications for the use of this money.
“The success of this operation is down to excellent teamwork, both between Shell E&P Ireland (SEPIL) staff, Bord an Móna and our contractors, most notably Roadbridge and Iggy Madden”, said Terry Nolan, SEPIL Deputy Managing Director. “We are delighted that this operation could be completed with minimal disruption to local residents living on the peat haulage route and we now look forward to beginning work on the next phase of the project - the construction of the Corrib gas onshore terminal facilities at Bellanaboy. This phase of construction work will begin this month and at peak construction in 2008 will give rise to up to 700 jobs in the locality”, Mr Nolan concluded.
