The Shell to Sea campaign says it is "still holding out some hope for the Green Party in government", in spite of the Minister for Energy's refusal to commission an independent review of the entire Corrib gas project.
Shell to Sea spokesman John Monaghan said it was "unfortunate" that a Green Party Minister should fail to uphold his own party's promise on the issue, given that the "problem hasn't gone away". His group is still pressing for a meeting with Eamon Ryan.
Dr Mark Garavan, who proposed the independent commission that was endorsed at the Green Party annual conference earlier this year, said the Minister had failed to recognise the integrated nature of the project, and the fact that the refinery was only one aspect of it.
"The refinery may have planning permission, but the project has no operating licence and no pipeline consent, both of which are in the Minister's remit", Dr Garavan said yesterday.
The new Minister said this week that the Government "cannot commit" to the proposed review of the entire Corrib gas project as the refinery had been approved by An Bord Pleanála.
