SIPTU's national offshore committee has criticised An Bord Pleanála's decision to approve construction of the refinery in north Mayo for the €800 million Corrib gas-field project.
In a further reaction to the Bord Pleanála decision issued on Friday evening, Ballina Chamber of Commerce has also called on the Government to ensure that north Mayo is connected to the national gas grid, if the benefits of the project are to be realised in the region.
Shell E&P Ireland has welcomed the Bord Pleanála ruling as a "major step" and intends to review the 42 conditions attached to the project. It had also been an appellant in the case taken to An Bord Pleanála by residents in north Mayo.
However, SIPTU's offshore committee spokesman, Mr Pádraig Campbell, said yesterday it was "inconceivable" that "this economically-ruinous refinery and highly-dangerous untreated gas pipeline" was "being allowed to proceed as the oil companies dictate".
The decision was particularly serious, given the landslides in the Dooncarton and Glengad mountains in September 2003, Mr Campbell said. "The absolutely insane proposal by Shell to move 500,000 tonnes of bog slurry to be dumped beside the water supply for the Erris region beggars belief."
Mr Campbell said it did not automatically mean that north Mayo and the western region were going to benefit, in terms of either employment or provision of gas. "While SIPTU supports sustainable job creation based on the proper development and exploitation of our natural resources, the short-term emphasis of the proposed rapid development of the Corrib gas field for the maximisation of oil company profits will be to the detriment of the Irish people.
"Despite what the economic pundits say, the price of gas will be no cheaper to the consumer than imported gas. There will be higher profits for Shell because little or no tax and no royalties will be paid on what rightfully belongs to the Irish people. It should never be jobs-at-any cost."
The State's own handling of the project had to be questioned in terms of the decision to scrap royalties levied on exploration companies and introduced generous tax write-offs, he said.
Controversial changes to existing legislation made by former energy minister Mr Ray Burke had to be examined, and all offshore licences should be frozen pending such a review.
An independent examination of the true size of the Corrib field should also be carried out, Mr Campbell said.
Ballina Chamber of Commerce has joined business groups in welcoming the decision, issued last Friday evening, but warned that the region would not fully benefit unless the Government ensured that Ballina and north Mayo were connected to the national gas grid.
"It would be ridiculous to think that this abundant natural supply, which is off the coast of our region, less than 50 miles away, would not be available to those in business here," said Mr Matt Farrell, president of the Ballina Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber would be pursuing this with the Government, he said.