The first Forum for North West Mayo, attended by two top Irish ministers, has been held in Belmullet.

The meeting, chaired Joe Brosnan is part of a government initiative aimed aims at facilitating dialogue on local issues relating to the Corrib Gas Project, and also offering a public platform the socio-economic development of the North West region.

Energy Minister Eamon Ryan and Rural Affairs Minister Éamon Ó Cúiv both participated in the inaugural meeting.

Minister Ryan welcomed all the parties to the meeting and said the government was ready and willing to listen to all interested parties on all sides of the Corrib Gas project.

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"We are here to listen and all sides and welcome all viewpoints on the project and on the development of the North West Mayo region. Safety, environmental concerns and equitable dealings towards all will be my priorities throughout this process."

"On the wider development of the region, as Minister for Energy I am setting a path that North West Mayo will become an energy hub for the country. Ireland needs to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels.

"Ireland has some of the best ocean and wind resources in the world and North West Mayo has the best resources in Ireland. Renewable and gas energy go hand in hand."

Mr Ryan said he believes that development of these resources will bring long term and sustainable economic development to Mayo.

Minister Ó Cuív said: "There are many things that we can all agree on from the outset; we should work together to progress these common ground issues as fast as possible, and put processes in place to reconcile the other areas that are currently dividing the community.

"We have to do all we can to maximise the local dividend of such a major project, so that we have the best outcome for Ireland, for Mayo and particularly for the Erris community," he added.

(PR/JM)