State to pay Shell's €40k bill

28 August 2005 By Niamh Connolly Sunday Business PostThe state faces a Garda bill of almost €40,000 for round-the-clock surveillance at the Shell Corrib gas terminal sites in Co Mayo over the past seven weeks.Deadlock over the onshore gas pipeline continues this week. Five farmers jailed for obstructing Shell access to their lands are spending their 61st day in Cloverhill prison today.Eight gardai from the western region have been drafted in to provide 24-hour duty at the four gates into Shell's gas refinery and pipeline sites at Bellanaboy and Rossport.The average weekly rate for a garda with ten years' experience is €705, based on a salary of €37,676. Surveillance at Shell's various properties requires gardai to do a rota of three shifts per day.