Garda resources at Bellanaboy should be redeployed into fight against crime – Ó Snodaigh

by tnc - tnc corcaí Fri Oct 12, 2007 16:30

Published: 12 October, 2007

Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Natural Resources, Martin Ferris TD has called on the Green Party to clarify its position in relation to the Corrib gas project.

Responding to a number of recent comments by Green Party Ministers to questions on various aspects of the planned pipeline in Mayo Deputy Ferris said:

"In a reply to one of my Dáil questions yesterday, Minister Eamonn Ryan said that as a Minister he could express no preference for any proposed route. However, the Greens, in opposition, promised that they would intervene if in Government to address the concerns of the local population.

"The Greens also, prior to their elevation, committed themselves to ensuring that the gas would be processed at sea. Indeed the Greens emphasised the environmental as opposed to the economic aspects of the project. Now they appear content to go along with the current government position that when in opposition they were so critical of.

"It is more important than ever as we enter a new licensing round for the Porcupine Basin and in a week when the discovery of another potentially rich source of oil and gas has been announced, that all issues around mineral exploration are addressed.

"Nothing done to date meets the concerns surrounding fiscal terms, integration with the wider economy or fears over environmental damage. The Greens are in a prime position to address those problems but have demonstrated little intention to do so." ENDS

by A Gore Fri Oct 12, 2007 22:37

On Hookie today or Mat ' coopers on today fm ( i think) , no now it was Hookie, where he has an american every week on and He asked him about Al Gore getting 2 special awards . He said A. Gore is the ownerof the company that sells Carbon footprints. T. Sargeny greens f gale are always on about this. dont even understand what cabon footprints mean !!!
this is an observation anyone explain

by cynic Sun Oct 14, 2007 13:51

"In response to a Sinn Féin Parliamentary question" my god but it real courage and conviction for SF to ask such a difficult question.
A cynic might assume SF are trying to score points against the government.
But as history has shown (07 election) the people of Erris don't have much faith in SF, so apart from the question showing the cost of policing the S2S campaign what is the point in asking ?
There is no real alternative to a heavy Garda presence at the protests, if the protestors are determined to halt work on the project.

by MacE Sun Oct 14, 2007 15:22

They could always try cleaning the gas at sea. The government are running a €30,000-a-day Garda operation at Bellanaboy. If the field operates for 15-20 years, that will come to €150-200 million. Building an inland refinery is a false economy.I know this may sound exotic, and I could be accused of being anti-Mayo, but we could learn a lot from Cork if we wanted.

by Person that lives close to so called safe refinery - Erris Person Sun Oct 14, 2007 18:56

Can you really justify that , The workers are helping to build this posionous and explosive refinery that will destroy the Erris that was here since day one and what are the local people just sit back so you can make a few euros. The real threat is you workers building such a place that is dangerous to the enviorment and the local people so get real, IF this gets built and you helped and it explodes and kills people are you guilty by building it, Get a real job that benifits man kind not destroys it like $h£ll do all over the planet....

explosion in Russia pipeline

by Reality - Green Party Member Wed Nov 21, 2007 19:08

The primary concern of the Guarda Siochana in Ireland should be to ' Upkeep the Peace' and to fight crime As the saying goes ' If the law is the law' it applies to you also, you are not infallible. Having seen the heavy handed policing tactics used in Bellanaboy first hand, It is a sad and sorry state of affairs that some members of the force are abusing their privilages and make no mistake it has not gone unoticed. This sort of behaviour should be dealt with accordingly.

Covering up your badges will not work and you will be named and shamed

Intimidatory tactics as following and spying on local citizens who are going about their lawful business is also to be condemmed.

I state this as not an attack on the force as a whole as I am a law abiding citizen, but as a warning to any state body who may think that they are beyond the law.

Community policing, means what it implies, working alongside the community and addressing their concerns and needs, not the needs of foreign corporations who are hell bent on destroying the environment.