Oil major Shell will appear before Dublin’s Metropolitan District Court in September after it was sent a summons from the Environmental Protection Agency.
It comes after an intense flaring incident at the controversial Corrib refinery on December 31st last year.
A spokeswoman for Shell confirmed it had received legal summons from the EPA.
She said: “Shell E&P Ireland Limited can confirm that we have received legal summons from the Environmental Protection Agency alleging breaches of our Industrial Emissions Licence. We will not
be providing comment whilst litigation is ongoing.”
The prosecution relates to the EPA’s six-month investigation into a flaring incident at refinery on New Year’s Eve.
At the time, residents had described the incident, which lasted between 30 and 40 minutes as “frightening”.
The flaring had taken place only two days after final operating consent for the project was issued by the at the time energy minister Alex White.
At the time, Shell had acknowledged the flaring had been “exceptional” and had promised to “take all measures” to minimise further occurrences.
