Mayo Council Rejects Shell Motion

by Kevin Donleavy Tue Aug 30, 2005 07:22 kdonleavy at firstva dot com Charlottesville, Virginia usa

We have two choices here, generally speaking. We can study the material provided on the Web by those who have delved into the entire matter of Shell, the Rossport men, national and local deals and agreements. Or we can look at the materials provided by this immense corporation Shell, which would like to pursuade the world that Shell loves the human race and wish only to add to the sum total of human happiness. I am hesitant to label Shell supporters as naive, blind, and dupes of powerful monoliths. But why in the name of God would would anyone support a mega-power like Shell, unless they have little comprehension of the titanic battles waged by Davitt and other Mayo thinkers and activists over the centuries?

by Done some research too Sat Aug 13, 2005 02:30

"Also, the council executive's legal adviser told the council if the motion was passed the council could be sued for up to €900 million - but there was no other legal opinion there."

This is a popular myth put around to throw people off the scent.

Approving a motion is symbolic and is just a statement of support of the Rossport 5 campaign by the council.

I clarified this with a mayo councillor a few weeks ago after the first surprise U-turn by the chairman of the council Henry Kenny (brother of Enda Kenny- lets be clear)

The only legal implications that Shell could use to attack Mayo Council would be if the Council ammended its Development Plan which wouldnt have been the case if the motion had passed yesterday. It was just a motion.

Amending a development plan is a totally seperate procedure and I dont think that was on the table for voting this time either.

In july I heard Clr. Gerry Coyle FG being interviewed on Mid West radio the morning that news of the U-turn came out, saying that he and Henry Kenny had reversed the decision of the council. For the record Gerry Coyle owns and runs the Statoil garage on the way into Belmullet (if ever there was a station to boycott....)

Coyle stated on the radio that if the motion had passed Mayo Council could have been sued by Shell (which was totally wrong and misleading on his part and just shows how incompetent he is)

At the time I wondered if all decisions made by the council over the last 30 years were also in question since the chair never utters the words "this motion is carried". This was the extent of Coyle's and Kenny's arguement back then, that "the words werent said" so the motion wasnt passed.

It became even more commical when a journalist stated she had been covering council meetings for 4 years and had never heard the magic words issued and had been in the council chamber when the motion had passed!!!!

Are the councillors deliberatly making themselves look like clowns? Are they starting a circus up there?
By their actions and voting patterns are they revealling the real puppet strings that control them? i.e. not the voters

How do they expect the public to take them seriously and, more to the point, vote them in again?

by PFLP Fri Aug 12, 2005 18:26

Nothing unfair about Pyle emailing the councillors. No doubt the campaign emailed and phoned them as well. It's what happens.

I do think the legal opinion from only one source is a bit suspect though. Council legal teams hardly covered themselves in glory in the bin charges did they?

by Aidan Fri Aug 12, 2005 17:52

What is unfair about Pyle emialing councillors? one of the rossport 5 wives addressed the Council.

hmm?

by ireland.com extract Fri Aug 12, 2005 17:32

"Ms Maura Harrington of the Shell to Sea campaign told ireland.com: "The result is no big surprise really because the councillors didn't really have an informed opinion on the issues around the pipeline.

"They all said nice things about the men in jail but had no understanding of why they are there," she added

Ms Harrington went on to say that she though there had been outside intervention into the debate before it had begun.

"Andy Pyle, chair of Shell Ireland, e-mailed the councillors last night and the Department of the Marine circulated a 'briefing paper' during the meeting which was blatantly biased. Also, the council executive's legal adviser told the council if the motion was passed the council could be sued for up to €900 million - but there was no other legal opinion there."

As a result, she concluded, she wasn't surprised the motion was rejected."


Where can I git a copy of Dept of marine briefing paper I wonder? Will it be two years hence through FOI at a cost of E250+? Probably.

Sucks being poorish and curious.

by eeekkkkk Fri Aug 12, 2005 17:12

from mark local george tony etc

there is a smell of desparation to the comments of this morning's new batch of trollwar recriuts

they haven't even been given talking points which would stand up if encased in quick drying cement let alone in reasonably curious company

by Mark Fri Aug 12, 2005 17:09

mayoman - Mid West radio - reported this on tuesday i think. If not - wednesday. Both parties separately issued statements to that effect.

I can substantiate my claims!

by mayoman Fri Aug 12, 2005 17:06

Where was this news about the denial?

by Mark Fri Aug 12, 2005 17:04

mayoman - this week both FF and FG confirmed taht they had not received any political donatiosn from Shell

by mayoman Fri Aug 12, 2005 17:02

I am well aware of the libel laws and have no intention of naming individuals. FG and FF can clear this up by declaring what they received in corporate donations prior to the new legislation that now requires disclosure.

by eeekkkkk Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:51

"In fact I will go further and say that individuals have benefitted from the money put around by Shell."

If someone is throwing money around individuals will benefit unless the entitly throwing money around is the KLF throwing it into a fire on a small scottish island.

Remember folks serious unsubstantiated allegations against named individuals are against ed gouidelines here so thread carefully and carry a big troll detector.

by Mark Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:47

again mayoman you have to substatiate your claims. we can all make up fanciful conspiracy theories but you have to back it up. Who are you talking about?

by krossie Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:40

see previous article

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71349&results_offset=30

"I remember talking with one of the lads: Vincent (http://www.mcgrathmusic.com/) before they went in last June.

He was telling me that he sent registered letters to all the local TDs just so that when it broke into the meeja they couldn't pretend they new nothing about it.

Later he heard that as soon as Enda Kenny had got his letter he ran straight to Andy Pyle head of Shell EFA Ireland to ask him for guidance.......................

Krossie

www.anarkismo.net

http://www.struggle.ws/wsm

add your comments "

by mayoman Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:40

happens to be true. In fact I will go further and say that individuals have benefitted from the money put around by Shell.

by Mark Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:25

.....but Mayoman you have nothing to specific to substatiate your claim - noting at all. Throw the muck but you cant back it up.

by mayoman Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:22

What do you think? FG pulled in £4m in donations at the same time Michael Lowry was giving the Corrib licences away. Some of that came from the oil companies.

by eeekkkk Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:17

on big votes?

and an absolute minority run health and justice and farmer protest campaigns?

by Mark Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:14

hey mayo man - what links to shell are you referring to?

by mayoman Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:12

Strange line-up on this vote. The FF councillors in Erris appear to have been swept along by the local campaign while the party in general no doubt saw it as good - and relatively cheap way of embarrassing Kenny. It proves that whatever about Michael Ring that FG are just as much compromised by their links to Shell as FF.

by Tony Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:12

well done Mayo County Council - a mature and correct decision.

by eeekkkk Fri Aug 12, 2005 16:02

as usual

it must be FG's turn to have their support collapse now in Mayo