'Madam' Sez 'The Law Must Be Obeyed' In Mayo: Let's fact Check Her Argument

Tuesday July 05, 2005 21:39

by wag

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Mayo contempt case

Public opinion has become highly charged following the jailing of five men last week for contempt of court after they obstructed work on a gas pipeline near their homes in north Mayo being built by Shell E&P Ireland Ltd.

Street protests about the imprisonment of the men and the plans by the multinational company to refine gas from the Corrib field onshore have ignited concerns that the legitimate interests of local people may be subordinated to Shell.

There have been efforts to present this confrontation in a David and Goliath light. That would be too simplistic. Up to the time of their jailing, these men were not representative of local opinion. After years of debate, adjudication by An Bord Pleanála and forced changes in construction plans by Shell, most local people accepted onshore facilities would be built. They recognised the gas deposits could supply Ireland's requirements for 15 years.

The Government has not done well. Ministers supported the project but made no attempt to build local industry on the strength of the gas find.

An ESB turf-burning station some miles away was closed while plans were made to pipe gas to Dublin and onwards for export. There was no sense of local ownership. The planning process was seen as unfair and weighted in Shell's favour. If these issues are to be resolved through negotiation, the first step should involve the release of the men from jail.

They refused to give an undertaking to the High Court to stop interfering with work on the pipeline. But Shell may have overstepped its authority by ordering specific work that was not sanctioned by the Minister for Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey. It will be open to the men to apply for discharge of a High Court order tomorrow, thereby purging their contempt.

Shell officials misjudged the situation if they thought to intimidate others by making an example of these men. They are offering to negotiate.

But the terms being demanded by some objectors - that the gas be refined offshore and pumped under normal pressure - were not upheld by An Bord Pleanála and will almost certainly be rejected by Shell. The Health and Safety Authority accepted that the pipeline met international standards.

It is a difficult and emotional situation for those involved. Any settlement will require compromise. Individuals are entitled to object during the planning and licensing process. But once binding decisions are taken by the Government and the planning authorities, the law must be obeyed.

save preference

Comments (3 of 3)

Well Madam's Facts Were Well Dodgy: Gerry Crowley takes her dissembling support for lawnorder 2 bits

by eeeeeelllll

Thu Jul 07, 2005 17:08

Madam, - Your Editorial of July 5th on the Mayo contempt case asserts that "the Health and Safety Authority accepted that the pipeline met international standards." In fact the Shell pipeline was never subjected to the planning process: by Ministerial fiat, it was exempted from planning. An Bord Pleanála was not involved. The HSA have no function in this pipeline and has refused to carry out a safety analysis, even when requested to do so on a commercial basis.

Where did you get the idea that the HSA accepted that the pipeline met international standards, when it refused to involved itself in the process in spite of constant urgings from concerned Rossport residents? An Bord Pleanála noted that refining offshore is an option, but not developed by Shell. An Bord Pleanála neither did nor did not "uphold" the pipeline plan - it was never asked.

The Rossport five and their families have one demand only. They require that normal international technical standards be adhered to in the siting of this pipeline complex. Nothing more but nothing less. Madam, do you find this unreasonable? The law, where it is just, must be obeyed. Where it facilitates injustice it must be opposed, openly and steadfastly. The Rossport five are in jail on one issue - the safety of our people, which is not negotiable. Bunreacht na hÉireann demands no less. - Yours, etc,

Dr JERRY COWLEY TD, Dáil Éireann, Dublin 2.

The Irish Times accepts the Health and Safety Authority did not pronounce on the safety of the gas pipeline. Its observations were confined to the gas refining terminal at Bellanaboy.- Ed., IT.
Madam, - What law is this which allows five innocent men to be jailed in order to facilitate the driving of a highly dangerous untreated gas pipeline through their lands?

What law is it which allows Mayo County Council to permit the development of a huge refinery complex in such a unique landscape of special marine and land conservation and allows An Bord Pleanála to overrule its inspector's report and permit the dumping of an entire bog from one townland to another?

What law is this which allows our Government to grant foreshore licences and compulsory acquisition orders in such an area to facilitate this cheapskate onshore development by Shell, a recognised international polluter?

There are many donkeys in the beautiful fields of Erris but the law thus applied would appear to be the greatest ass of all! Or is it our Government, which brays loudly to the east about Sellafield while facilitating shell's environmental degradation in the west?

In the national interest, Shell's onshore plans must stop. Refining must take place at sea to full international standards, as would surely be demanded by any other state. - Yours, etc,

BERNARD GRIMES, Lindsay Road, Dublin 9

No way

by Tony

Thu Jul 07, 2005 00:19

Fuck the law that puts private interest over health and safety, that puts profit before people. I spit on that law. The law of life demands that these men are freed and vindicated and that our government who have been acting illegally in almost every aspect of this scandal, be forced into renegotiating the deal for the Irish people, and in my opinion, Shell should be forced by the people to get the fuck out of our country for daring to challenge our sovereignty, the sovereignty of the people.

The law must be obeyed

by Wondering

Wed Jul 06, 2005 14:11

I wonder does she obey her senior counsel husband.

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'Madam' Sez 'The Law Must Be Obeyed' In Mayo: Let's fact Check Her Argument

Comments (3 of 3)