Shell will hold talks with residents from north Mayo opposed to the oil giant’s controversial Corrib gas pipeline, it was announced today.
Ministers Eamon Ryan and Éamon Ó Cuív will attend the meeting at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on Friday.
The residents will be represented by community groups Pobal Chill Chomáin and Pobal le Chéile.
“The aim of this meeting is to try to resolve issues in relation to the Corrib gas project,” said a Government spokesman.
“The ministers hope that all parties will enter the talks in a positive and open manner, have agreed that the meeting will be conducted in an even-handed way and that it will have a completely open agenda with no predetermined outcome.”
The talks will be held under the chairmanship of former Department of Justice secretary-general Joe Brosnan.
The two community groups called on all sides in the talks to work towards settling the long-running Corrib dispute.
"Pobal Chill Chomáin and Pobal le Chéile have at all times been committed to an agreed solution to the Corrib dispute, one that above all else takes into account the concerns we have for our health, safety, environment and the long term sustainability of our community," the groups said in a joint statement.
"We call on all sides to work with us to bring about an agreed solution to this damaging and unnecessary dispute which continues to inflict pain and suffering on our community."