Home » Monthly archive

December 2009

'No prosecution' over sinking of boat

By: 
Lorna Siggins - Irish Times

GARDAÍ IN north Mayo have said they are no longer investigating the sinking of a boat owned by a shellfish company director and Shell to Sea supporter off Erris Head last June.

Supt Michael Larkin of Belmullet Garda station said yesterday that the sinking of the 12m Iona Isle on June 11th last had been “fully and thoroughly investigated”.

Supt Larkin confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that “no prosecution be brought”.

Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1210/1224260421060.html

Press Release: Government gives away €420 billion in oil and gas reserves while scrambling to cut €4 billion from public spending

News Release
Issued by Dublin Shell to Sea
Wednesday, 9th December 2009
For immediate release
 

Shell to Sea campaigner convicted for gas pipeline protests

By: 
Claire O Brien - Mayo Advertiser

‘No justification for breaking the law’-judge

The Shell to Sea campaign has suffered a blow as one of its leading activists was found guilty of two separate public order offences committed while protesting against the gas pipeline.

During a week long special sitting of Belmullet District Court, Niall Harnett, Barr na Coille, Pollathomas, was given a three-month suspended sentence by Judge Gerard Haughton, who convicted the defendant of two separate offences, saying that there is “no justification for breaking the law”.

Link: 

http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/20024

Serica believes Irish Sea gas find may be commercial

By: 
Barry O Halloran - Irish Times

BRITISH exploration group Serica estimates that one of its licences in the Irish Sea could hold commercial quantities of natural gas. Chief executive Paul Ellis said yesterday that the Conan field in Irish waters could hold up to one billion cubic feet of natural gas.

Serica is exploring off both the west and east coasts. This year, it announced that it had found oil in the Slyne Basin off Mayo and close to the Corrib Field, which is operated by Shell and has reserves of one trillion cubic feet of gas.

Link: 

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/1208/1224260297423.html

Press Release: Unfounded case against fisherman Jonathan O'Donnell withdrawn

Today's sitting of Belmullet District Court saw the unfounded case against Jonathan O'Donnell withdrawn due to the absence of evidence.  Mr. O'Donnell will now be taking a case alleging wrongful arrest against the Gardai in relation to this matter, which took place when he was working in his traditional fishing ground in Broadhaven Bay last June, when the Solitaire pipe-laying ship was in the area.  Gardai boarded his boat and arrested Mr. O'Donnell on June 25th for allegedly loitering (in his place of work), but the case has now been dropped.  Mr.

Budget 2010 - 'A Fair Deal For Ireland'?

By: 
Mick - diaspora.ie

Next Wednesday Ireland will learn the outcome of one of the most important budgets in decades, and it won’t be pretty.

The talk will be about €4 billion of cuts and €72 billion of national debt, so what about the €420+ billion worth of natural resources off the west coast of Ireland – isn’t that worth another look.

Why?

Because those resources are going to an oil company in what’s described as one of the biggest giveaways in history…

  • There are a series of gas and oil fields extending along the west coast of Ireland
  • These include the Dunquin, Porcupine and Corrib fields
  • The combined value is somewhere between €420 – €540 billion
  • The value of the Corrib is somewhere between €10 – €50 billion

Shell to Sea will be one of the groups protesting outside the Dail next week, and they have a point. Shell hope to be pumping Corrib gas by the end of 2010 / start of 2011. Ireland will still be suffering from the recession and seeking ways out of debt.

Link: 

http://diaspora.ie/starship/2009/12/budget-2010/

Press Release: Campaigners call for outright refusal of permission for Shell pipeline

Following An Bord Pleanala’s November 2nd ruling on Shell’s controversial Corrib gas pipeline, campaigners have written to the Board (lfull text of the letter below) calling unequivocally for refusal of permission on the basis of fundamental rejections contain in this ruling.  Additionally the “statutory objective to make decisions within 18 weeks”1 has been greatly exceeded by ABP; to “serve notice in writing on the applicant,” ...

The Garda Ombudsman: Creating the illusion of democracy in its absence…

By: 
Livinginrossport

Spreading responsibility (but not the power to hold accountable) out into bodies that are essentially still tied to the centre, to governmental and political control. Creating new bodies that aren’t tainted by association with corruption (O Cuiv uses them as a fig leaf for inaction), due to the simple fact that they’re new…

Link: 

http://livinginrossport.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/the-garda-ombudsman-cre...

Keep Out of Prison

Keep Out of Prison
“Keep out of prison” he wrote
“Don’t get arrested anymore”
But while the land is ravaged
And our pure air poisoned
When streams choke with pollution
Silence would be treason
Punishable by a term in prison

                                                      Ken Saro Wiwa

 

This week, 25 people will appear in court in connection with charges relating to their opposition to the Corrib Gas Project.  The courts are on Monday, 7th, Tuesday, 8th, Wednesday, 9th, Thursday, 10th of December in Belmullet District Court and in Ballina District Court on Tuesday 8th.  On the 16th December, 3 more local people will appear before the District Court in Castlebar.

This is part of the new Erris News, which is available on the Leaflets page here.

***********************

Primetime Special on Michael Dwyer in Bolivia and IRMS: http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1061676

Press Release: SHELL and IRMS ‘QUESTIONS TO ANSWER’ ON BOLIVIA KILLING OF IRISH YOUTH

The Shell to Sea group has called on the oil company Shell, its security contractor IRMS and its partners in the Corrib Gas Project to answer key questions raised again by last night’s Prime Time Special on the killing of young Irishman Michael Dwyer.

See Prime Time Special here: http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1061676