S.I. No. 257/1999 - Continental Shelf (Protection of Installations) (Kinsale Head Gas Field 48/25-3) Order, 1999.

I, MICHAEL WOODS, Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 6(1) (as amended by section 5 of the Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995 (No. 35 of 1995)) of the Continental Shelf Act, 1968 (No. 14 of 1968) and by the Petroleum and Offshore Exploration (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 1997 ( S.I. No. 429 of 1997 ), hereby, for the purpose of protecting certain installations in the area standing designated by the Continental Shelf (Designated Areas) Order, 1993 ( S.I. No. 92 of 1993 ), order as follows:

1. This Order may be cited as the Continental Shelf (Protection of Installations) (Kinsale Head Gas Field 48/25-3) Order, 1999.

2. Subject to Article 3 of this Order, ships are hereby prohibited from entering the area specified in the Schedule to this order without the consent of the Minister.

3. Article 2 of this Order shall not apply in relation to—

(a) ships providing any services requested by the lessee under the Petroleum Lease dated the 7th day of May, 1970, and made between the Minister for Industry and Commerce of the first part, the Minister for Finance of the second part and Marathon Petroleum Company (Ireland) Limited of the third part,

(b) ships in distress or carrying out movements with a view to saving or attempting to save life or property or entering the area specified in the Schedule to this Order owing to stress of weather, or

(c) ships belonging to, or employed in the service of, the State and used for defence or fishery protection purposes.

SCHEDULE

1. That part of the area standing designated by the Continental Shelf (Designated Areas) Order 1993 ( S.I. No. 92 of 1993 ) that is bounded by an imaginary line every point of which is 500 metres from the point which has the co-ordinates:

51° 19’ 37.51 “N latitude and 08° 05’ 54.36” W longitude

2. The co-ordinates of latitude and longitude aforesaid are co-ordinates of latitude and longitude on European Datum 1950 (ED 50).

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

This Order establishes a safety zone around offshore installations attached to the SW Kinsale Head Gasfield and prohibits ships from entering the zone except with the consent of the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources and in the circumstances provided for in Article 3 of the Order.