Shell must continue to dismantle sections of illegally assembled gas pipeline in Co Mayo, Noel Dempsey said today.
The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources said his original directions should stand "in order to preserve the integrity of the regulatory regime".
Mr Dempsey directed three months ago that sections of the pipe be dismantled after it emerged that the welding did not have the necessary consents.
Shell began complying with the order to dismantle sections of the pipeline on Tuesday, October 18th. However, the Department said that half of the de-welding staff had returned to Italy to visit a pipeline project there.
On Monday, October 17th, a proposal to defer dismantling work until a new safety review of the pipeline is published was submitted to Mr Dempsey by the Pro-Erris Gas Group (PEGG).
But the Shell to Sea campaign, opposed to an onshore pipe, said the Minister's order would have to be complied with in full if there was to be any faith in the department's regulatory regime for the Corrib gas project.
Mr Dempsey's statement today said: "I have . . . now decided that, despite the willingness of Shell to accept the proposals put forward by PEGG . . . my original direction to Shell that remedial action should be taken to address the breach of the extant consents should stand and, as a consequence, that Shell should continue to cut the sections of pipeline which they had welded without consent."
He said he accepted the bona fides of PEGG but added: "I believe that in order to preserve the integrity of the regulatory regime . . . the directions given by me should be adhered to."
