Shell caught out in Rossport
mayo |
environment |
news report
Tuesday August 02, 2005 03:25
by JM
Rossport South, Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland
The Battle of the Septic Tank
How Shell were exposed as untrustworthy neighbours to the residents of Rossport and unsavoury bedfellows of the government.
The outflow pipe in operation
The Battle of the Septic Tank
On Tuesday 28th June 2005 a site visit to the Rossport compound was arranged with Roadbridge, the sub-contractors for Shell E&P Ireland, to allow an inspection of their waste water facility by Mayo County Council Senior Engineer Paddy Mahon and a representative group of local residents. This had come about after extensive reasearch and inquiry by the concerned locals, raising the issue of possible illegality by Shell.
During the inspection it became clear that what had previosly been described by the developers as a 'holding tank' for foul water, requiring weekly emptying by a specialised truck, in fact closely resembled a treatment system with a through flow of material, otherwise known as a 'septic tank'. This was contrary to the assertion by both the developers and Mr Mahon himself that the installation and inspection of a holding tank had taken place months before.
In spite of the evidence on the ground Mr Mahon was willing, albeit hesitantly, to once again endorse the developers view that a storage facility was operating on site, even when photographic evidence proved that the outflow pipe from the tank had only recently been sealed up, showing the tank had been tampered with just days before.
The engineer then hurriedly left the site, leaving the residents unconvinced that everything was above board. At that point Roadbridge staff demanded that eveyone leave the site immediately. The locals refused to leave until the Enforcement Officer from Mayo County Council had witnessed an obvious breach of Planning and Environmental laws.
The residents then proceeded to clear away the area next to the tank, moving timber stakes and concrete blocks to help any excavation that would be needed to uncover the truth. Roadbridge started to panic, and called in police assistance to remove everyone from the site.
The Gardai arrived in a show of bluster, ready to haul off anyone who disobeyed their commands, but found half a dozen residents in hard hats and hi-viz jackets and signed in as site visitors, unwilling to be moved until the inspection had been carried out in full. This seemed to take the wind out of the Gardai's sails, and the situation calmed down to an ordered discussion about the problem at hand.
During this period news came through that Mr Mahon was returning to the compound, and he duly appeared with an update to the situation. He informed everyone present, including a crowd of onlookers on the other side of the site boundary fence, that the developers had revealed that a septic tank had indeed been installed on site, and that it had also functioned as a septic tank for a period of time before being sealed up.
This warranted further investigation, and the decision was taken to excavate the area downstream of the tank to confirm everyone's suspicion. Roadbridge staff cleared the ground, moved in a small excavator and proceeded to unearth the broken stone that had acted as a percolation area. Bilological samples were taken at various intervals for future analysis and distributed between Roadbridge, Mayo County Council and the residents.
After a short while it became clear that there had been an outflow from the tank, perforated pipe was uncovered, and a percolation system had been running until very recently. All present were witness to the lies from Shell.
The following day, Wednesday 29th June, five of the men responsible for the exposure of the developer's untruths were jailed by the Irish justice system, at the behest of Shell, for previously obstructing pipelaying works on the Corrib Gas pipeline through the village of Rossport.
That same day warning letters were issued by the Mayo County Council Planning section to both Roadbridge Ltd. and Shell E&P Ireland regarding "Unauthorised Septic Tank at the Roadbridge Temporary Construction Compound, Rossport, Co Mayo". The situation remains unresolved.
JM, Rossport South, Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland. 02/08/2005
Paddy Mahon observes the doctored pipe
The truth is uncovered
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Comments (12 of 12)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12"Have you been good little boys Shell?"
"Yes we have Justice Finnegan"
"Then I have no option but to believe you, because you are also very rich and powerful and Im only president of the high court"
"Thats right judge, whos a clever little judge? we also know lots of your friends, some of them are our friends too"
"OK run along now and I lock these 5 baddies up, would you like me to hang them for you too?"
"We would judge but not even you can do that"
"Ok toodloo - have a nice day massive corporation"
"You too judge and thanks for not listening to anyone else but us"
From the RTE website: "Shell has announced the laying off of some staff arising from protests by residents."
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Shell have done a great job in blaming the Rossport people for forcing them to lay off workers.
This is just another attempt by Shell to discredit the Rossport people who are seeking justice.
If the truth was to be told it would state that Shell are laying of workers because they have been caught out by Mayo country council and Dempsey's department and found to have carried out illegal work.
They now cant carry out any more illegal work and are being watch, for a change. So Shell's work schedule is screwed because they now have realised that they need to get permission for what they want to do rather than just being able to do what ever they want since no authority was monitoring them.
Therefore Shell have had to let people go!
A Shell spokesperson SHOULD have said "Its a real blow to our work schedule to now have to take into consideration that the work must be done legally and not illegally as we have been doing, because of this hic-up we are going to fire loads of people but we are going to somehow find a way to blame it on our enemy, the locals who dont want to live in and with our filthy business"
When Shell and Statoil have bought our gas and probadly oil for nothing, the great national rag informs the nation that:
Helicopter ownership takes off :
THE number of helicopters registered in Ireland has doubled in the last five years.
Property developers are using helicopters to get a bird's-eye view of sites while other wealthy owners are using them to avoid traffic and to fly to social events like the Galway Races.
Figures from the Irish Aviation Authority show the number of registered helicopters has risen to 113 - up from just 56 in 2000.
The most high-profile helicopter owners are businessmen like Ben Dunne, Michael Smurfit and Larry Goodman. Recent additions to the aviation register have included Citywest hotel owner Jim Mansfield and Cork property developer Seamus Geaney.
However, the boom in helicopter ownership has also led to a hostile reactions around the country to helipads and other facilities.
A farmer neighbour objected to plans by Mayo businessman Pat Staunton to build a helipad and hangar in the back garden of his house in Castlebar without planning permission.
An Bord Pleanala ruled in 2003 that it was not an exempted development after the farmer said that the helicopter was disturbing his animals.
An Taisce also complained that helicopter landings at a helipad owned by property developer Bernard McNamara were damaging Booterstown nature reserve in Dublin and could have long-term implications for wildlife.
The Irish Helicopters company said the growth in the sector had been phenomenal.
"It's the resurrection of the Celtic Tiger. A very high percentage of these owners would be businessmen," said commercial director Fred Balcomb.
He said the cost of buying a helicopter was very high - ranging from €90,000 for a second-hand model to €2.5m for the latest Bell Augusta models.
"There's not only the initial purchase price but all the maintenance, insurance and piloting as well," he said.
Many businessmen are using the helicopters to avoid rush-hour traffic and have built helipads in their back gardens to land their aircraft. Last week, there were up to 300 landings each day at the Galway races.
Mr Balcomb said there was a waiting list to buy the popular Bell 407 helicopter, which costs over €1m secondhand and is known as the sports car of the air.
"There's more 407s in Ireland than in England. I think that in terms of helicopters per head of population, we have exceeded them," he said.
No mention of the five small farmers locked up by shell. Yet another week begins in paddy land and the great Irish logic continues "fuck them sure im alright".
Look at all the money
'Hanging out at Rossport enjoying pickle
and cheese sandwiches with friends ....
"the cows are coming to eat the seats!"...
After a night of driving rain, howling winds,
and mooing cows there was a lack of
enthusiasm in preserving the hay reserves
at the Rossport Solidarity Camp.
The cows have been misbehaving going
to see what the pigs are up to...'
a photo of the "safe" pipes that will carry the unrefined oil from the well head to the refinery in North Mayo.
Food for thought folks... you couldn't make this up!!! The Energy Regulator approves a 25% increase in the price of gas for Bord Gais last week, adding approximately 190 Euro a year onto each average household gas bill in the state, and in the same week we discover that our government is giving away our own natural gas for close to nothing off the coast of Mayo!?!?! It's time this clueless and utterly useless political administration was booted out on its arse, and for that to happen, people need to protest..
The even greater tragedy about all of this is that everytime this happens or something like it, another clueless decision by the current FF/PD political administration, people have a whinge about it until the next time something equally or more stupid happens, why are most people afraid to protest on the streets about this anymore? I think we've become a nation of whingers, who have become fond of the odd auld moan and yet actually stand up for nothing anymore, we actually are starting to bend over for the government!!!
As long as the majority of us continue to leave the protesting to the man or woman next door, we have only ourselves to blame for what comes our way, for example outrageous price increases, utter contempt for the electorate, cosy arrangements between the multinationals and the government, etc, etc.
.
What an interesting story...another attempt of SHELL to treat us Mayo people like we are totally foolish!
Have you got your soil results back yet to prove their guilt?
i think where ye've set up ye,re camp theres not many cows.also if ya call a little wind " a howling wind " then by God you,ve not heard proper wind. anyway if its so unsettling for you what with the cows, rain and howling wind why not take off back to where you came from! also theres no pigs in Rossport, WELL NOT UNTIL RECENTLY ANYWAY!
Looks like I missed KItten by a day having set off from the camp around 5 monday.
Was in the field next to the discovery of the septic tank at the time it was demonstrated & seriously wish the photo of the guy flying the Mayo flag on top of Brendan Philbin's house at the time would be brought to the public eye.
Thunk it most impressive at the time, would make very good image methinks.
& BTW the wind that blows through Rossport is a phenomena to behold. Trying to put the Marquee up in it was a 'kin pain. No windbreaks on most sides you see
Stevo
Let Minister Dempsey know that this issue is not going away - it's getting closer to him all the time.
There will be a mass demonstration in Trim (Dempsey's hometurf) at 7pm on Friday August 12th.
All are welcome to attend to show Minister Dempsey that action is needed immediately - the Rossport should be released and Shell should be made withdraw from land that is not theirs!