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Human Rights in IrelandIndymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Lockdown Skeptics
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Six arrests in Ballinaboy As 30 Enter Shell Site mayo |
anti-capitalism |
feature
 Saturday April 14, 2007 20:38 by Dublin Shell to Sea - Dublin Shell to Sea
 30 enter Shell site
Dramatic Scenes At Fridays Blockade
Six people were arrested this afternoon on the site of Shell’s controversial refinery in Ballinaboy, Co Mayo. The six were part of a group of more then thirty who entered the site at 11am this morning as part of a ‘people's site inspection’. A five hour game of ‘cat and mouse’ ensued as Gardai and Shell’s private security personnel attempted to remove the protesters from the site. The six arrested were taken to Belmullet Garda station before being released. Related Links: Women's trespass at Bellanaboy on Friday 13th | Work halted at Bellanaboy as protesters gain entry to Shell's site, six arrested. | Corrib Gas pipeline route selection begins. | We can stop them | Shell to Sea activists blockade lorries at Bellanaboy | 04.04.07 Sees Yet More Aggression by Shell Cops | Shell’s site has become the scene of regular protest and garda heavy handed tactics since Autumn of last year when Shell recommenced work on site. The recent upsurge in protests has coincided with the start of ‘peat haulage’ from the site by Shell. This process, which involves the removal of more then 350,000 cubic metres of peat from the bog where Shell intend to build the refinery, is expected to take more then five months. Speaking from Ballinaboy this afternoon Dublin Shell to Sea spokesperson Caoimhe Kerins said ‘Today’s action is part of a broader campaign to highlight both the criminal giveaway of Ireland’s gas reserves and the bully boy tactics being used by Shell and the state to impose this unwanted pipeline and refinery on the community of Rossport and the surrounding area. The issues involved are of National importance and impact on every person in Ireland. That is why we are here today. Hopefully this marks the start of a long, hot summer for Shell. The next major protest will be outside of Shell Headquarters in Dublin on Friday April 27th. I’d encourage everyone to come along and join in the campaign to protect our natural resources and send Shell to Sea’. |
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Comments (19 of 19)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19Fair play to all involved in today and yesterdays actions in Mayo. Was unable to get down myself - 12 hour camel ride is just too much. Delighted to see that a second front is being opened in Dublin - a lot handier to get to for me and many others.
For too long the executives in Shell have been able to make decisions from their cushy offices while their goons and the cops carry out the dirty on the ground in Mayo. Its about time that the pigeons came home to roost.
Its also time to make Ireland a no-go zone for Shell and the other energy companies. Maybe then the government might grow a set and set up a state-run and owned exploration company just like the Norweigans did with they set up Statoil.
quick video from yesterday here, gives a flavour of what the cops are like in Mayo : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx7YQNDcSl0
a different video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCwpTBDranQ
The correct spelling of the place is Béal an Átha Bhuí.
Fair play do na daoine a bhris isteach ar an láthair inné.
Well done to all . However the peat is still moving. We need another plan.
All six prisoners were told that they were arrested and/or detained under Section 11 of the Criminal Justice ( Public Order) Act 1994 - http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA2Y1994S11.html - 'Entering with intent to commit an offence'. It's bullshit, Shell's Cops - Na Gardaí Síochána have no reason to believe there was ever such intent.
All six prisoners were photographed against their wishes. The 'prisoner's custody rights' leaflet given to all 6 instucts them that they may only be photographed when detained under certain sections of the 'Offences against the state act' and certain sections of the 'Criminal Justice Act', NONE OF WHICH sections they were detained under. They were forced, using trained Garda bullying techniques to have their photos taken nevertheless.
I doubt if charges will be brought against the 6, unless the Gardaí are stupid enough to test their reasons for allegedly being on site. On second thoughts that would give me reason to believe that yes, they maybe charged. But as we told the arrestees last night, we are in full support of oneanother and will use every opportunity to vindicate ourselves and expose the Gardaí to be the pigs that they are.
Link to Public Order Act 1994 in full here below.
QUOTE
''Its also time to make Ireland a no-go zone for Shell and the other energy companies. Maybe then the government might grow a set and set up a state-run and owned exploration company just like the Norweigans did with they set up Statoil.''
Unfortunantly the irish government simply don't have the know-how to set up a multi-billion euro gas company for ONE GAS FIELD that will be exhausted within 30 years. Is there a complete lack of reality en masse at Shell 2 Sea or are there actual, realistic alternative proposals for the gas field. Shell and the other oil/gas companies won't help and Irish government-run comapny explore, exploit or sell the gas...it's simple logic really. And what kind of message are we saying as a western economy when we say 'hey gas companies, come find the gas fields for us at a huge cost to yourself! Oh, but when you find the gas fields you can just get the hell out'.
How come Norway managed to set up its own company and got the energy majors to trian its people to run it? How come the Norwegian experts who were here in November could not believe the system in Ireland and were adamant that it couldn't be allowed in Norway?
How come EVERYONE else believes there is a lot more than 30 years of energy out there?- Everyone up to and including the government who sneaked out news on Good Friday that the territorial limits of the country are being extended by up to 200 miles off the Kerry to Donegal coast ?
We're all stupid and you know best.
The Faeroe Islands get a better deal. Iceland gets a better deal. Some local councils in Scotland get a better deal. Even Nigeria gets a better deal.
Ireland gets the worst deal in the world, and puts the lives of its people at risk to get it.
And some people think this is worth arguing in favour of.
''How come Norway managed to set up its own company and got the energy majors to trian its people to run it?''
Because Norway is one of the largest exporters of crude oil and gas in Europe with massive natural resources and decades of experience in the industry prior to Statoil's creation in 1973. It is a huge multinational that would cost billions to replecate in Ireland, with our one viable gas filed to exploit. It just doesn't make sense for a government to be setting up a gas copany. It's not the role fo the State and that's all there is to it.
''How come the Norwegian experts who were here in November could not believe the system in Ireland and were adamant that it couldn't be allowed in Norway?''
Because we didn't get the best deal, and that is unfortunate. I would have prefered if Shell operated the field but with the Irish government retaining 25 or 30% of profits made. But the deal has been made, the contracts signed and we can't just tear up contracts with companies because we've changes our mind....protesting about something that cannot be legally changed is futile.
''How come EVERYONE else believes there is a lot more than 30 years of energy out there?''
Prove it please. The fact is that for an Irish Statoil to succeed it would have to expand overseas to ensure jobs for it's employees in decades to come. That means it would have to compete with established players like Shell et al. It simply wouldn't work. (And I got the 30 year estimate from some left-wing source, an Irish party, but I'm not entirely sure which one so I can't say)
''Ireland gets the worst deal in the world, and puts the lives of its people at risk to get it.
And some people think this is worth arguing in favour of. ''
And the best way to address something that cannot be re-negotiated without massive expense to the taxpayer is to have people bussed up to Mayo to act like thugs? I'm not even going to touch the ideas of respecting majority views and mandates.
How come the "alternative government" are talking about simply tearing up any deals to sell off hospital land?
How come the Russian government renegotiatesd the entire Sakhalin II deal?
How come the Bolivians put manners on Shell?
Stop cringeing, Shell are just a company, Ireland is a nation state. If the laws don't suit, a government can change them -look what they did with the pensioners in care homes. If they can change laws and make them retro active for some things, why not this?
No more gas out there? What's that article in the Tribune about today (www.indymedia.ie/article/81993)?
Why is there a huge block of OUR waters licensed by a foreign country's state energy company? Why are you in denial?
"what is the point of protesting..?" yeah, yeah. No point. Stay home. Like they did in 1916.
''How come the "alternative government" are talking about simply tearing up any deals to sell off hospital land?''
Different issues my friend; that's a government policy issue, not an issue of grossly interfering in private-sector business in which legal agreements have already been made.
''How come the Russian government renegotiatesd the entire Sakhalin II deal? ''
The activities of the Russian government are not to held up as a model to follow. End of. Modern western democracies don't just make and break contracts that they decide they'd like changed. For one thing, Shell would almost certainly tale Ireland to court if we tried tinkering with the contract, and would probably win.
''Stop cringeing, Shell are just a company, Ireland is a nation state. If the laws don't suit, a government can change them -look what they did with the pensioners in care homes. If they can change laws and make them retro active for some things, why not this?''
Ireland also adheres to common competition and commercial law in the EU. And the issue is not how far the powers of the State extend, but whether it is necessary to tear up the contract and tell businesses to f**k off and if that's the right decesion. So far all S2S have given us is this magical notion that a highly-developed Irish exploration industry will just apear overnight, and the environmental arguements they have put forward are dodgy to say the least.
''No more gas out there? What's that article in the Tribune about today
''if gas was found in commercial quantities, it would be at least five years before Statoil would be in a position to exploit it.''
If Shell, a huge company with decades of experience can't get at the gas for at least five years, then what chance does any State-run upstart have of finding and extracting it? Is it the responsibility of the State to directly provide gas and oil to the citizens, because I'm pretty sure that's not mentioned in any reasonable party's policy, and rightly so.
''Why is there a huge block of OUR waters licensed by a foreign country's state energy company? Why are you in denial?''
I'm not in denial. Shell control the gas in that area. So? It is not the business of the State to be exploring gas fields, especially when that job can be done by experienced private companies. Shell spent millions trying to find the gas field, and under your proposals, they'd just be told 'thanks lads, but we'll take it from here' and the government will just find a couple of billion euros to set up a gas company. What kind of message does that send to companies thinking of setting up in Ireland?
'' "what is the point of protesting..?" yeah, yeah. No point. Stay home. Like they did in 1916. ''
Throwing around the patriot card has to be the lowest form of debate. Are you going to call me a Nazi next? The similarities between 1916 and Rossport are nil, except for the wannabe martyrs.
This joker was doing a decent job of spreading lies and half-truths on behalf of Shell unitl the following idiocy;
"And the best way to address something that cannot be re-negotiated without massive expense to the taxpayer is to have people bussed up to Mayo to act like thugs? I'm not even going to touch the ideas of respecting majority views and mandates."
Massive expense to the taxpayer me hole - as opposed to the expense to the taxpayer of having cops bussed and b&b'd up to Mayo to act as thugs? I don't recall any majority view or mandate in support of this shameful rip-off - crooks like Ray Burke and Frank Fahey represent noone but themselves.
report that one person was arrested while avoiding being filmed by piggies. Fairly certain he is out... will have more later.
It was me that was arrested this morning at Bellanaboy.
Here is the link to my statement on the matter: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/81998
Please forgive any appearance of seeking attention to myself. No, it's the ongoing Garda abuse at Bellanaboy that I'm drawing attention to, and WE WILL CALL THEM TO ACCOUNT.
"
Do you understand that if the State were to renage on the deal with Shell, a legally-binding contract worth billions, that we would have to compensate Shell to the tune of hundreds of millions of euros at the very least."
How much did the Russians compensate Shell for Sakhalin?
Shell have broken soo many environmental rules that the deal is void, even if you didn't want to go down the route of checking whether corrupt ministers are legally able to sign binding contracts which have to stand. Like I said before- get real.
We have the gas, they want it, they have to deal with us.
(And lets be honest, even if we did compensate them "hundreds of millions" we'd stillhave change out of the 8 BILLION the corrib field is worth, and the FIFTY BILLION estimated for the worth of the associated fields.)
http://indymedia.ie/cache/imagecache/local/attachments/...g.jpg
For pics from above commenter
Is it beyond the realms of possibility that an oil-experienced country such as Venezuela might help out a small nation in establishing a state-owned company to explore and exploit Irish natural resources? Or that the same expertise could be used to replace the multinationals wholesale, on a not-for-profit basis? Venezuela exchange oil for other expertise such as medical expertise from Cuba, and I'm sure there must be some scope for discussing them helping the Irish people use Irish natural resources for the Irish people's benefit.
Venezuela also 'renegotiated' their deals with the oil companies. I'm sure there are numerous examples of contracts being renegotiated every single day.
And what's to stop the Irish government introducing a new tax/charge on these companies?
It wasn't long ago that Gordon Brown introduced a "windfall tax" on the profits of the North Sea Oil companies. His reason? The price of oil had gone up unexpectedly.