Investment in the Community

Community Investment is a voluntary contribution by Shell and its partners to communities and the wider society in which we operate. It involves working in collaboration with the local community to help achieve local social and economic development objectives.

Where communities are concerned, the overall vision of the Corrib Gas partners is to be a good neighbour in the areas in which we operate. We view our Social Investment Programme as an important part of this objective.

Our Community Investment Programme will benefit Kilcommon and the Erris area and will, in conjunction with other organisations, enhance facilities within the community and contribute to the local economic development of the area.

Our Programmes

The Corrib Natural Gas Local Grants Programme allows local groups and organisations within the Erris region to apply for funding of up to €10,000. The scheme has been in operation since 2005 and was formalised and relaunched in 2007.  It is run in Partnership with contractors who are working on the construction of the Bellanaboy Bridge Gas Terminal. These contractors include PM Group, Roadbridge Ltd, Mercury Engineering Ltd, SIAC Butlers Steel Ltd, Kilcawley Construction and Hertel Ireland Ltd.

In 2009, 123 applications were received from organisations within Erris, with 94 receiving funding, totalling €350,000. The groups are wide-ranging in their activities and include a local cancer support group, a women’s group, soccer and GAA clubs, a meal-on-wheels service provider, senior citizens organisations and community development organisations.

Find out more information about the Corrib Natural Gas Local Grants Programme.

The Local Grants Programme will remain in place during the construction phase of the project. Thereafter the primary source of local contribution from the Corrib Gas Partners will be through the Corrib Natural Gas Erris Development Fund, launched in January 2009 with an initial fund of €5m for the construction phase of the project.  This programme will offer both financial and non-financial support for community initiatives and projects within the Erris area. 

All projects must be local, sustainable and inclusive in order to be considered and must fall into one of the three categories for funding set out in the programme: Enterprise and Knowledge, Marine and Environment, and Sports and Culture.

Up to the end of the 2009, €1.4m had been committed in funding to local projects that met the criteria under this programme and, already in 2010, a significant number of new applications have been received.

Find out more information on the Erris Development Fund (PDF, 1435 KB) - opens in new window.

The Corrib Natural Gas 3rd Level Scholarships Programme, was launched in 2007 to grant 10 scholarships worth €4,000 per year to students for each year of their studies.   All applications are assessed by an independent board. There are currently 31 students attending third level education under this programme and it has received funding to run for a further three years.

In 2009 alone, almost €1.9m was allocated in funding under these three programmes – benefiting close to 100 different voluntary and community groups in the five parishes of Erris, in addition to ten secondary school students from the area.