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Cost of Shannon Policing to the State

category national | miscellaneous | news report author Tuesday December 17, 2002 20:08author by Justin Moran - Sinn Feinauthor email maigh_nuad at yahoo dot com

In reply to a question from Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe the Minister for Justice stated today that the cost of security to police the protest at Shannon Airport on the weekend of 6 to 8 December 2002 was 29,211 Euros. The cost of security to protect American military aircraft that stopover at Shnnon Airport since January 2002 was 12,183 Euros. The cost of security to police other protests at Shannon Airport since January 2002 was 17, 960 Euros. All in all, just under 60,000 Euros in total.

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author by Raymond McInerneypublication date Tue Dec 17, 2002 20:22author address author phone

Eoin, how did you manage to get through that shield?

author by Justin Moran - Sinn Feinpublication date Tue Dec 17, 2002 20:37author email maigh_nuad at yahoo dot comauthor address author phone


The figures above refer only to the cost of Garda security, not airport security, any private security firms or anything or anyone the Yaks might have supplied.

author by Davepublication date Tue Dec 17, 2002 21:02author address author phone

Since SF are now in bed with the US Imperialists, I am somewhat surprised to find you been just a little critical, does Gerry know? think of all that lovely cash coming in from the states.

author by Phuq Heddpublication date Tue Dec 17, 2002 21:38author address author phone

Justin/SF-people, please don't respond to the obvious troll above. It's obvious to all of us what it is!

Now, a question: do you know exactly what was included in arriving at those figures? They seem suspiciously low to me. How many security staff and Gardai are stationed at the airport? Are they being diverted from their normal duties in order to secure US military flights? If so then their time/salaries should be added to the estimate.

author by Justin Moran - Sinn Feinpublication date Tue Dec 17, 2002 21:42author email maigh_nuad at yahoo dot comauthor address author phone


Phuq, I thought it was very low as well to be honest, especially if you consider there was air support for the cops at the last Shannon protest. It will be followed up but the Dáil won't be sitting until the end of January after tomorrow so be waiting a while for a response.

Interestingly, another question we got answered giving the cost of the refugee round-up that was Operation hyphen:

"I am informed by the Garda authorities that the total amount of money spent on Operation Hyphen for the two days in July was €101,518. This is broken down between the Dublin Metropolitan Region - €30,226; other Regions - €49,569; and the Garda National Immigration Bureau for both days - €21,569."

That suggests the 60,000 one might be close enough to the mark. Seems low but then, how much are cops worth? :)

author by Despublication date Tue Dec 17, 2002 22:01author address author phone

Troll? like hell, it's a legitimate political point and I would like a response.

author by Kurious in Kerrypublication date Tue Dec 17, 2002 22:07author address author phone

Just wondering like

author by MGpublication date Wed Dec 18, 2002 09:31author address author phone

author by Raypublication date Wed Dec 18, 2002 10:39author address author phone

Gerry Adams has shag all to do with the cost of Shannon policing. Other topics of little or no relevance include SP policy on the north, Israel/Palestine, the SWP's relationship with GR, the IAWM vs the grassroots gathering... the list goes on.
Brining them up every time someone posts is trolling, plain and simple.

author by Justin Moran - Sinn Feinpublication date Wed Dec 18, 2002 12:07author email maigh_nuad at yahoo dot comauthor address author phone


If the Trolls really want answers they can look through Indymedia to find any one of the over a dozen threads on this tired old subject I contributed to or they can mail me and some time over Xmas, when bored and replete with turkey I'll probably respond.

author by pat cpublication date Wed Dec 18, 2002 15:43author address author phone

constantly moan about the degeneration of indymedia.

however, no matter what the topic they will use it as an opportunity to attack republicans.

joe cahill was responsible for those ships colliding off france! what do you say to that justin?

author by Justin Moran - Sinn Feinpublication date Wed Dec 18, 2002 15:52author email maigh_nuad at yahoo dot comauthor address author phone


Pat C, is there anything that man can't do? :)

author by Despublication date Wed Dec 18, 2002 19:51author address author phone

Whether my name is Des, Dave or anything else, does not negate the fact that there is a contradiction between receiving substantial funding from the states (with the consent of the Bush administration) and then attempting to posture as being anti-imperialist. It is a legitimate query and attempting to ignore it by using various labels is simply avoiding the question. What Justin intends to eat over the holiday period is of no interest to me. For reasons that may be obvious to some people, I don’t use my real name when making comments.

author by pat cpublication date Thu Dec 19, 2002 11:46author address author phone

how is your query relevant to this topic?

you are just a troll who is prepared to use every single thread to attack republicans.

SF is a legal party & is entitled to raise funds in the US (as is the SP). SF is opposed to the war in the gulf (yes, the war, they never stopped bombing Iraq) and the use of Shannon for military purposes. I would be surprised if the Bush administration were unaware of this. (Especially when SF banners are regularly at protests outside the US embassy.)

author by Despublication date Thu Dec 19, 2002 19:52author address author phone

I DO NOT make a habit of attacking the republican movement on IMC, I simply pointed out the contradiction between posturing as an anti imperialist organisation while obtaining large funding from the U.S. that fundraising requires the permission of Dubya Bush. Do you really believe that if Bush thought that SF were a threat that they would still be allowed to fundraise? the fact that they have refused to answer the question is as far as I am concerned, an answer in itself.

author by Justin Moran - Sinn Feinpublication date Thu Dec 19, 2002 20:19author email maigh_nuad at yahoo dot comauthor address author phone


Last thing I'm saying on this subject.

I have answered your point, several times, in several debates on Indymedia. A long time ago I gave up the ghost in wasting my days in arguments I've fought again and again and again. As I pointed out, if you want an answer mail me and if UI get round to it I'll get a reply back to you some time buit I am not wasting a single second on an argument that I havebeen through many times on Indymedia. Repition becomes boring.



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